Your Current World xi

[The Battlers Prince]

Can Bat indeed but needs to show it in something that isn't a rain-reduced ODI or a match in Scarborough

True, but he's got talent and I hope for England and cricket in general's sake he becomes as good as I think he could.

 

[marc71178]

True, but come on, which of Williamson, Root or Smith are you going to drop in order to play de Villiers at 4 or 5? And I'm always picking 5 bowlers if it's remotely sensible : Ashwin fills the bill as a number 7 so I want the keeper at 6. I think even if he has only done it as an emergency recently de Villiers is a better all-round package than any of Watling, Sarfraz or Chandimal...

You have to make the trade off. I'd certainly not pick 5 bowlers if it meant batting Ashwin at 7 either, just pick 4 bowlers and a keeper who has actually been keeping rather than making 2 "fudge" picks.

 

[Howe_zat]

The only players who are playing as genuine allrounders in Tests right now are Stokes, Moeen Ali, Mitch Marsh, Holder, Corey Anderson/Santner, and to a lesser extent Duminy and Mathews. Ashwin has been batting at 9.

Mathews probably your only real option for world XI material out of that, though I like to think we'll see Stokes there next year

 

[Gnske]

i know australia delude themselves with their home performances (look at the five minute wonder hometown hero Hazlewood selection) but you need to watch tests not involving them kthnx

specifically, boult in the second and third UAE tests and in Sri Lanka.

watch the aussies come in force

I remember those performances, but Lames Blanderson is still better in all departments.

The only reason I'd have Boult in this year's XI is to have a token left hander.

 

[Flametree]

The only players who are playing as genuine allrounders in Tests right now are Stokes, Moeen Ali, Mitch Marsh, Holder, Corey Anderson/Santner, and to a lesser extent Duminy and Mathews. Ashwin has been batting at 9.

Mathews probably your only real option for world XI material out of that, though I like to think we'll see Stokes there next year

Shakib? Easily forgotten given how little cricket Bangladesh play and his bowling seems to have faded, but still better than any of the above list surely? Ashwin still averages more with the bat than any of those you mention except Duminy. The lack of a Steve Waugh type player who is comfortably good enough to be in the top 6 of this sort of team and averages mid-30s or better with the ball is a problem. Maybe Williamson, Root, and Mathews can combine to do 5th bowler duties but I prefer 5 actual bowlers

 

[TheJediBrah]

Bairstow is up there as a keeper too and can bat well.

has to be a stitch up

this is a world xi thread

 

[The Battlers Prince]

has to be a stitch up

this is a world xi thread

I see you've given no opinion other than to deride mine.
From what I've seen of Bairstow as a keeper, he moves well and keeps tidy. He may not be world XI yet but I think he could be

 

[Flem274*]

Since AB is keeping (again) for the next five minutes he's in until he cbf again, then it's either Watling or Sarfraz and I don't think Bairstow is near that company right now. I'd take Chandimal and Rahim ahead of him too. He, Nevill and a couple of others just haven't been here long enough to build a record.

 

[FBU]

Over the last 2 years

HowSTAT! Top Ten (Test)

HowSTAT! World XI (Test)

 

[honestbharani]

No one is picking The Saha?

 

[weldone]

Cook
Warner
Williamson
Smith*
Root
De Villiers+
Ashwin(4)
Broad(3)
Yasir(5)
Steyn(1)
Anderson(2)

 

[OverratedSanity]

True, but come on, which of Williamson, Root or Smith are you going to drop in order to play de Villiers at 4 or 5? And I'm always picking 5 bowlers if it's remotely sensible : Ashwin fills the bill as a number 7 so I want the keeper at 6. I think even if he has only done it as an emergency recently de Villiers is a better all-round package than any of Watling, Sarfraz or Chandimal...

Any one of them. The best batsman in the world coming in after 5 is a waste.

 

[ImpatientLime]

warner
cook
williamson
smith
younis
ABDV
sarfraz
steyn
yasir
anderson
hazlewood

12th man - boult

 

[TheJediBrah]

I see you've given no opinion other than to deride mine.
From what I've seen of Bairstow as a keeper, he moves well and keeps tidy. He may not be world XI yet but I think he could be

honestly didn't know you were serious

 

[The Battlers Prince]

honestly didn't know you were serious

Fair enough then, I can see the value in a keeper who can bat to the level of DeVilliers.

 

[Gob]

Fair enough then, I can see the value in a keeper who can bat to the level of DeVilliers.

Wut?

 

[The Battlers Prince]

Wut?

JediBrah was advocating for DeV in his side to allow an extra batsman in his side. So I was saying I can see the value in that decision.

 

[Prince EWS]

I'm very settled on the batting lineup:

1. Cook
2. Warner
3. Williamson
4. Smith
5. de Villiers
6. Mathews
7. Watling

Also picking Steyn obviously but pretty undecided on the rest of the attack. I think there are a bunch of bowlers of a very similar standard after that.

 

[Red]

Wut?

What was difficult about that to understand?

 

[Gob]

What was difficult about that to understand?

I was high sorry