NUFAN
Y no Afghanistan flag
Yep, this is pretty much my thoughts too.
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Select TWO openers: Best of 00s
- Thread starter bagapath
- Start date
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Very tempted to go for this logic. A formidable opening pairing with power at one end and tenacity at the other. Sehwag & Gambhir work in a similar way, to some extent.
Definitely going to take Hayden, in which case I can't take Sehwag. Hayden & Gambir, Hayden & Langer or Hayden & Smith... Tough.
Uppercut
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What's interesting about Langer is that he only scored very marginally slower than Hayden. Poor Gautam Gambhir's lagging miles behind Sehwag
stephen
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Hayden and Smith.
Smith has had a lot more responsibility than Sehwag and has played on much better bowling tracks for the majority of his career than Sehwag.
Sehwag is too similar to Hayden in his style of play and I would be very nervous opening with both of them. You would end up at 2/20 just as often as 0/300.
Smith has had a lot more responsibility than Sehwag and has played on much better bowling tracks for the majority of his career than Sehwag.
Sehwag is too similar to Hayden in his style of play and I would be very nervous opening with both of them. You would end up at 2/20 just as often as 0/300.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Smith has had a reputation as a FTB as well.
aussie
Hall of Fame Member
He still has to some degree IMO.
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
I would much rather have Hayden and Sehwag than any other, and I don't buy this 'partnership' crap. You pick your best batsmen, and the comfort level comes from playing with each other over a period of time. Most of the elite players have many century partnerships with almost everyone else in the team, so I don't buy that you have to pair them up just the right way.
Second, I don't see an issue with two players seen as super aggressive. First, Hayden was dominant, but he wasn't super aggressive in terms of his strike rate. He had an above average S/R, but his S/R is similar to Pontings or Lara, for example (though obviously neither was an opener, which helps). Sehwag's S/R is off the charts, especially for an opener. Langer is only 6 S/R behind Hayden. Sehwag is 20 ahead of Hayden.
Third, the idea that you want one to 'stick around' and the other can be hit and miss is flawed in two ways. First, that it's actually true that Sehwag or Hayden are somehow more hit and miss than Langer. Look at the number of matches played vs. number of 50+ scores. They all get to 50+ pretty often, and actually at close to similar rates. Second, the fact is when they both hit, you've virtually guaranteed yourself an awesome first or second innings score/chase, or at least a very good start. And that is priceless for the middle order.
So my point is, people should pick the two best batsmen (whoever you think that might be), and not worry about how they may or may not fit together out in the middle, or to look at their styles too closely. As selectors, you would generally pick the next best batsman if an opening is available, and I think people should do the same thing here.
Obviously, it's fair enough to pick Smith or Langer or whoever, as they are both successful, and I could have picked either as well, but it should be because you think out of the three, individually, that the batsman is the best. I think Hayden is a shoe-in though as the best opener of the decade, but I don't think he is as far ahead of the others as perhaps some think.
Second, I don't see an issue with two players seen as super aggressive. First, Hayden was dominant, but he wasn't super aggressive in terms of his strike rate. He had an above average S/R, but his S/R is similar to Pontings or Lara, for example (though obviously neither was an opener, which helps). Sehwag's S/R is off the charts, especially for an opener. Langer is only 6 S/R behind Hayden. Sehwag is 20 ahead of Hayden.
Third, the idea that you want one to 'stick around' and the other can be hit and miss is flawed in two ways. First, that it's actually true that Sehwag or Hayden are somehow more hit and miss than Langer. Look at the number of matches played vs. number of 50+ scores. They all get to 50+ pretty often, and actually at close to similar rates. Second, the fact is when they both hit, you've virtually guaranteed yourself an awesome first or second innings score/chase, or at least a very good start. And that is priceless for the middle order.
So my point is, people should pick the two best batsmen (whoever you think that might be), and not worry about how they may or may not fit together out in the middle, or to look at their styles too closely. As selectors, you would generally pick the next best batsman if an opening is available, and I think people should do the same thing here.
Obviously, it's fair enough to pick Smith or Langer or whoever, as they are both successful, and I could have picked either as well, but it should be because you think out of the three, individually, that the batsman is the best. I think Hayden is a shoe-in though as the best opener of the decade, but I don't think he is as far ahead of the others as perhaps some think.
HeathDavisSpeed
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
To my mind, anyone that uses the phrase needs a good shoeing.
Burgey
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I typed shoo-in then changed it. Damn.
bagapath
International Captain
of course, this is meant to be fun. wont do anything to turn people off but want to preserve the integrity of the process though. I was hoping to enforce this rule to keep the team somewhat real. We have had miller and warne leading quite a few dream teams in the past.
honestbharani
Whatever it takes!!!
That's only because Hayden's that slow, tbh..What's interesting about Langer is that he only scored very marginally slower than Hayden. Poor Gautam Gambhir's lagging miles behind Sehwag
silentstriker
The Wheel is Forever
Well, if I had any doubts.
On his way to his third triple, and the second run a ball triple....
On his way to his third triple, and the second run a ball triple....
aussie
Hall of Fame Member
Ye i have no problem going by the slection rules you select. Its just in my personal deliberations about the team of the decade, i would definately pick Warne as the skipper.