All-time Test XI

To just post a no-holds-barred eleven would be no fun.

:ind: :bat: Vijay Merchant
:ban: :bat: Minhajul Abedin
:aus: :bat: Don Bradman
:saf: :bat: Graeme Pollock
:wi: :ar: Garry Sobers
:pak: :ar: Imran Khan :c:
:zim: :wkb: Andy Flower
:nzf: :ar: Richard Hadlee
:usa: :ar: Bart King
:eng: :bwl: Sydney Barnes
:sri: :bwl: Muttiah Muralitharan

Actually Andy Flower is a fantastic shout.
 
Asked an Xi from my dad and he came up with:
:ind: Sunil Gavaskar
:wi: Gordon Greenidge
:wi: Brian Lara
:saf: Jacques Kallis
:ind: Sachin Tendulkar
:aus: Ricky Ponting :c:
:aus: Adam Gilchrist
:pak: Wasim Akram
:aus: Shane Warne
:sri: Murali Muralitharan
:aus: Glenn McGrath
12th: :nzf: Richard Hadlee.
No Bradman.

56648380.jpg


(This applies to all Bradman-less elevens.)
 
No Bradman.

56648380.jpg


(This applies to all Bradman-less elevens.)
That's why 'cause I asked him to tell me the players he had watched live sir.
 
That's why 'cause I asked him to tell me the players he had watched live sir.
No need to call me Sir!

Still, I reckon even in eleven of players we've seen we can make an exception for someone as freakishly good as Bradman.

If I were to pick the best eleven players I've watched in person, I'd probably go for something like:

:aus: :wkb: Adam Gilchrist
:aus: :bat: Matthew Hayden
:aus: :bat: Ricky Ponting
:ind: :bat: Rahul Dravid
:aus: :bat: Michael Hussey
:nzf: :bat: Stephen Fleming :c:
:eng: :ar: Andrew Flintoff
:nzf: :ar: Daniel Vettori
:nzf: :bwl: Shane Bond
:aus: :bwl: Glenn McGrath
:pak: :bwl: Mohammad Asif
12th Man: :aus: :ar: Jason Gillespie

It's hardly an all-time Test XI though, which was why I didn't post it.
 
Here's something. A team of the best players I've watched play live on television or in the ground.

:ind: :bat: Virender Sehwag
:saf: :bat: Graeme Smith
:ind: :bat: Sachin Tendulkar
:aus: :bat: Ricky Ponting*
:saf: :bat: AB de Villiers
:eng: :ar: Andrew Flintoff^
:aus: :wkb: Adam Gilchrist†
:aus: :ar: Shane Warne^
:aus: :bwl: Brett Lee^
:pak: :bwl: Shoaib Akhtar^
:nzf: :bwl: Shane Bond^
 
I know that the topic is All Time Best XI. But, I can't pick players I haven't watched purely based on records/stats. Also, I have picked post 2010 because there are lot of great players before that and it's hard to choose just XI. ;p.

Anyway Players who have retired post 2010 or who are still playing-

:bat::ind:Virender Sehwag
:bat::saf:Graeme Smith :c:
:bat::ind:Rahul Dravid
:bat::aus:Ricky Ponting
:bat::ind:Sachin Tendulkar
:ar::saf:Jaques Kallis
:wkb::sri:Kumar Sangakkara
:ar::nzf:Daniel Vettori
:bwl::saf:Dale Steyn
:bwl::sri:Muttiah Muralitharan
:bwl::eng:James Anderson

Other notable players- :wi:Shivnarine Chanderpaul, :pak:Younis Khan.
 
Wouldn't Murali be a better bet?

I have an opinion about him which isn't going to be popular around here. I'll pick Swann any day over Murali. Also, I see a lot of people going for Lara. Lara was one of the most charismatic, stylish and enigmatic batsmen the world has seen. All time XI? There is room for argument there.

It's just my opinion, but, I honestly feel that apart from Warne and Akram, there's an alternate for every other name in any ATXI.
 
No Bradman.

56648380.jpg


(This applies to all Bradman-less elevens.)
No point in picking him as i have never watched him playing cricket live ..
 
No point in picking him as i have never watched him playing cricket live ..
That's like me saying I've never seen Lakshan Sandakan bowl, so I don't want him in my league team. True, I've never seen him bowl, but I know he'd be too good for South Northants village cricketers, especially on uncovered pitches! In that case, as with Bradman, it's a matter of common sense.
 
That's like me saying I've never seen Lakshan Sandakan bowl, so I don't want him in my league team. True, I've never seen him bowl, but I know he'd be too good for South Northants village cricketers, especially on uncovered pitches! In that case, as with Bradman, it's a matter of common sense.

I get your point but I was trying to create a team of the players I have watched :)
 
These things are always more interesting if you limit yourself to one player per country IMO. I'm phone posting at the moment, I'll try to add mine when I get home
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top