Test XI for The Last Quarter Century

[trundler]

Pick your men's Test XI of the last 25 years | ESPNcricinfo 25 year Anniversary | ESPNcricinfo

So Cricinfo is making it's XI for the last 25 years. I bet we could make a better XI than the average Cricinfo reader.
Here's mine:
Matthew Hayden
Graeme Smith
Brian Lara (or Ponting, I'm confused because they both average 60+ at number 3 and were pretty dominating)
Sachin Tendulkar
Ricky Ponting (or Lara)
Rahul Dravid/Jacques Kallis (batsmen of a similar ilk. The extra bowling might swing it in Kallis's favour but both top notch)
Adam Gilcrhist
Wasim Akram (left arm variety and old ball mastery)
Shane Warne (or Murali)
Dale Steyn (perhaps Donald)
Glenn McGrath

 

[Borges]

I bet we could make a better XI than the average Cricinfo reader.

I'm not so sure; considering that we form the modal value of all the average cricinfo readers.

Some years ago, when I was here, there used to be bitter complaints about how denizens of cricinfo were plagiarising, or at least repeating in different words, all these profound, insightful comments that were being made on this forum. Great minds think alike, I suppose.

 

[trundler]

Ambrose a fair shout too and I wanted him in my team but he's too similar to McGrath and left him out due to variety considerations. Same with Donald.

 

[Gowza]

This was mine:

Hayden
Smith
Sangakkara
Tendulkar
Lara
De Villiers
Gilchrist
Steyn
Donald
McGrath
Murali

 

[trundler]

I'm not so sure; considering that we form the modal value of all the average cricinfo readers.

Some years ago, when I was here, there used to be bitter complaints about how denizens of cricinfo were plagiarising, or at least repeating in different words, all these profound, insightful comments that were being made on this forum. Great minds think alike, I suppose.

Yes but that XI is being voted in by a more general audience which would be say.. less devoted than us. The ATG discussion thread went through a very rigorous and insightful process which I'm sure most people wouldn't take into account like variety of the bowling attack, the strengths and weaknesses of batsmen and placing them in a batting order accordingly, slip catching etc. We're ****ing nerds lol.

 

[trundler]

De Villiers is a curious case. Before he announced his retirement, I felt he was still at his best and had more upside potential. He's great and all but I feel he underachieved in tests (tests only!). Not in the sense that Hick and Ramprakash did but in the way say, Mark Waugh or Colin Cowdrey underachieved.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I guess you could pick a 12 and include both Warne and Murali and if the pitch was going to take spin drop a quick as Kallis takes the workload up.

 

[bagapath]

Tougher than what i thought this exercise would be

Going with

Hayden
Sehwag
Ponting *
Tendulkar
Lara
De Villiers
Gilchrist +
Akram
Warne
Ambrose
McGrath

 

[Daemon]

Anyone leaving Kallis out needs a lobotomy

 

[trundler]

I ended up with Kallis at 6. Dravid is the toughest of the lot to leave out.

Also, Sehwag and Cook FTBs of the highest order and I wouldn't let them anywhere near my all time XI.

 

[trundler]

Tougher than what i thought this exercise would be

Going with

Hayden
Sehwag
Ponting *
Tendulkar
Lara
De Villiers
Gilchrist +
Akram
Warne
Ambrose
McGrath

Choosing Ambrose over any of the quicks is by no means a questionable decision but I'm curious nonetheless about what swung it in favour of Ambrose over Steyn. Same tier ATGs for me.

 

[Coronis]

Oh come on how are people choosing de Villiers... recency bias because he's retiring.

Hayden
Smith*
Ponting
Tendulkar
Lara
Kallis
Gilchrist+
Warne
Steyn
Ambrose
McGrath

Smith over Sehwag to have contrasting styles amongst the openers, everyone else is pretty much self explanatory. Dravid, Sanga, Murali, Wasim, Donald all unlucky to miss a spot.

for reference, from the current cricinfo votes: (assuming one spinner)

Hayden
Sehwag
Ponting*
Tendulkar
Lara
Kallis
Gilchrist+
Wasim
Warne
Steyn
McGrath

 

[trundler]

Now I wonder how a team from the previous 25 years would compare?
Gavaskar
Greenidge
Viv
Chappell G
Crowe
Sobers (maybe that's cheating)
Knott
Imran/Hadlee
Marshall
Lillee
Qadir

 

[trundler]

Oh come on how are people choosing de Villiers... recency bias because he's retiring.

Hayden
Smith*
Ponting
Tendulkar
Lara
Kallis
Gilchrist+
Warne
Steyn
Ambrose
McGrath

Smith over Sehwag to have contrasting styles amongst the openers, everyone else is pretty much self explanatory. Dravid, Sanga, Murali, Wasim, Donald all unlucky to miss a spot.

for reference, from the current cricinfo votes: (assuming one spinner)

Hayden
Sehwag
Ponting*
Tendulkar
Lara
Kallis
Gilchrist+
Wasim
Warne
Steyn
McGrath

No Akram? Though, I don't rate him that highly either. Steyn is a perfectly fine alternative though that tail is a bit weak.

 

[Coronis]

Now I wonder how a team from the previous 25 years would compare?
Gavaskar
Greenidge
Viv
Chappell G
Crowe
Sobers (maybe that's cheating)
Knott
Imran/Hadlee
Marshall
Lillee
Qadir

Gavaskar
Greenidge
Richards
Chappell
Miandad
Border*
Knott+
Imran
Hadlee
Marshall
Underwood

No Akram? Though, I don't rate him that highly either. Steyn is a perfectly fine alternative though that tail is a bit weak.

Yeah perhaps you're right. I'd likely replace Ambrose rather than Steyn though.

 

[trundler]

Gavaskar
Greenidge
Richards
Chappell
Miandad
Border*
Knott+
Imran
Hadlee
Marshall
Underwood



Yeah perhaps you're right. I'd likely replace Ambrose rather than Steyn though.

YUUUGE YUUUGE oversights on my part with Border and Underwood. Dammitt. Miandad, too.

Also, I cant see why people aren't picking Kallis. He's basically a defensive Sobers lite. Great as a 5th bowler and makes it into the side as a batter alone. Bowling edges out Dravid and the like. Great in the slips also

 

[Burgey]

Anyone leaving Kallis out needs a lobotomy

A lobotomy is preferable to watching him bat.

 

[Red]

V.Sehwag
G.Smith *
K.Sangakkara
S.Tendulkar
B.Lara
AB.DeVilliers
A.Gilchrist +
W.Akram
S.Warne
C.Ambrose
G.McGrath

 

[Daemon]

Warne/Murali really set this team apart from the others in terms of bowling quality. The 3,4,5 and Gilchrist are also tough to beat. Openers are a weak point though.

 

[trundler]

Warne/Murali really set this team apart from the others in terms of bowling quality. The 3,4,5 and Gilchrist are also tough to beat. Openers are a weak point though.

Practically all the bowlers are ATG team contenders so the bowling line-up is as good as it can get. Smith had a terrible last couple of series which ruined his average but he was still great. Would make his team's all time XI. Hayden, well, he wasn't that bad. A considerable drop from say, Gavaskar/Greenidge but he was still good. The middle order as good as any Bradman-less XI.