Smith v Ponting

[Victor Ian]

what about 8 & 9?

 

[stephen]

I don't know about India. Depends on the conditions. Who cares really when you have Pollock and Philander at No. 9 and No. 10, you can get away with it.

India have:

Sehwag
Unsure
Dravid
Tendulkar
Kohli
Gangly
Dhoni
Ashwin
Rubbish quick
Zaheer
Kumble

I'm really not sure who the partner to Sehwag should be but the rest of the batting lineup is pretty good. Bowling attack is utterly trash though, especially away from home.

 

[Furball]

India have:

Sehwag
Unsure
Dravid
Tendulkar
Kohli
Gangly
Dhoni
Ashwin
Rubbish quick
Zaheer
Kumble

I'm really not sure who the partner to Sehwag should be but the rest of the batting lineup is pretty good. Bowling attack is utterly trash though, especially away from home.

How the **** are you omitting VVS?

 

[stephen]

Sub Ganguly for Laxman. Brain fart.

 

[morgieb]

With the opening thing I'd probably just be a prick and open with Dravid, putting Pujara at 3.

 

[stephen]

Looks like Gambhir is the best performing opener to partner Sehwag.

 

[stephen]

With the opening thing I'd probably just be a prick and open with Dravid, putting Pujara at 3.

Yeah that's probably the way to go tbh. Tendulkar can continue to hide at 4.

 

[centurymaker]

A better comparison would be

Ponting v Kohli

as Smith is a very different kind of player.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

Australia post-2000

Hayden
Warner
Ponting
Smith
Clarke
Hussey
Gilchrist
Warne
Harris
Johnson
McGrath



This line up is demented. I’d personally risk Johnson in there as I think you’d see more shine than rain with those players around him.

Compare England post-2000

Cook
Vaughan
Mr X/Trott/Strauss swap with Vaughan/I’m struggling
Root
Pieterson
Flintoff
Prior
Swann
Broad
Harmison/Hoggard
Anderson


Pretty big chasm

 

[OverratedSanity]

Just open with Dravid, I agree. If he'd been an English opener I think he'd have been up there competing with with Hobbs, Hutton and Sutcliffe for a spot in England's AT XI.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Just open with Dravid, I agree. If he'd been an English opener I think he'd have been up there competing with with Hobbs, Hutton and Sutcliffe for a spot in England's AT XI.

For some reason all I really remember Dravid for is repeatedly getting bowled from innocuous straight balls

 

[OverratedSanity]

For some reason all I really remember Dravid for is repeatedly getting bowled from innocuous straight balls

That's pretty much all he did in the last month of his career so I don't blame you.

 

[GuyFromLancs]

I think Dravid was true opening batsman and would perhaps be rated even higher if he was permanantly employed as one

 

[OverratedSanity]

I think Dravid was true opening batsman and would perhaps be rated even higher if he was permanantly employed as one

Especially in England. Would've loved doing it imo.

 

[srbhkshk]

At this stage of their careers, I'd take Ganguly over Pujara, he provides the option of a useful bowler in swinging conditions and Pujara has a lot to prove overseas. Also Ganguly is a better captain then anyone in this team imo.

 

[Spikey]

That's an ATG fast bowling attack but the batting is relatively weak, especially compared to an Aus or Indian batting lineup from the same era.

I'd only consider 6 & 7 "relatively weaker", and you could easily give FDP the gloves to strengthen that up. All of that top 5 topped the ICC batting rankings at some point in their career, although obviously Kristen's happened before 2000. With that said, Donald should miss out given he barely played after 2000, either for the spinner option, which is probably gonna have to be Keshav Maharaj, or for Rabada

 

[Furball]

Especially in England. Would've loved doing it imo.

Had an ATG series pretty much doing it in 2011.