All-Time Test XIs

[Punk_Sk8r]

Imran Khan wasn't a possibility for your All-Rounders KP?

 

[King Pietersen]

I'll be honest with you, I didn't know a great deal about Imran Khan when I wrote that article. Now that I do know a fair bit about him, having read up and watched footage of him, he'd definitely have been in contention. Wouldn't have got in ahead of Sobers, or even Keith Miller, but he'd be 3rd on my list now I reckon.

Looking back at that side, and my write up. I'm disappointed that I failed to mention Barry Richards as a potential opener, picked Thomson ahead of Lillee and Akram first up, and failed to mention George Headley as a potential middle order batsman. If I was picking a side now, I'd probably go for:

1. Sir Jack Hobbs
2. Barry Richards
3. Sir Donald Bradman
4. Sir Vivian Richards
5. Graeme Pollock
6. Sir Garfield Sobers
7. Adam Gilchrist (although Knott would push him far closer now)
8. Shane Warne
9. Malcolm Marshall
10. Dennis Lillee
11. Sydney Barnes/Wasim Akram (undecided who I'd pick, probably go with Barnes)

 

[Howsie]

Akram at 11?

And why would Knott push Gilchrist more now, when you made your selection Gilchrist had already retired had he not?

 

[King Pietersen]

Akram wouldn't bat at 11 if he came in for Sydney Barnes obviously.

Because I've learnt more about Knott and know how highly regarded he was at the time. Gilchrist would still hold the keeping position quite comfortably, but the gap isn't as big as it was when I made the post, as I remember not even contemplating any keeper other than Gilly at the time, just mentioned a few other guys for the purposes of the article.

 

[kirby]

My Team:
Jack Hobbs
Barry Richards
Don Bradman (c)
Viv Richards
Graeme Pollock
Garfield Sobers
Adam Gilchrist (wk)
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Dennis Lillee
Curtley Ambrose

 

[War]

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Tendulkar
V Richards
Sobers
Imran Khan
Knott
Marshall
Lillee
Muralitharan

Hadlee, B Richards, G Chappell, Gilchrist unluckiest to miss out for me.

 

[sifter132]

Kirby - Quite similar to King Pietersen's. But good to have you on board chief

I'll name mine too, which has changed a bit after some research and for team balance.
1 Jack Hobbs
2 Len Hutton
3 Don Bradman
4 Brian Lara
5 Ricky Ponting (demoted to 5 purely because he doesn't make the massive scores of Bradman or Lara)
6 Kumar Sangakkara (wk)
7 Ian Botham
8 Richard Hadlee
9 Shane Warne
10 Muttiah Muralitharan
11 Glenn McGrath
12th: Malcolm Marshall to come in for Murali if you want more pace options.

Previously I went with the Sobers/Gilchrist combo at 6 and 7. But I feel with Sangakkara and Botham, sure it's not quite as strong a batting combination, but they give you a better bowler in Beefy. Glovework differences between Sanga and Gilly are negligible. After all with Hadlee at 8, there is no need for formidable batting that far down. Playing a 3rd genuine quick means I can play 2 spinners if necessary whereas with Sobers I'd feel uneasy relying on him as the 3rd seamer. For the West Indies fine, but for a World XI? No.

 

[shravi]

Sir Jack Hobbs
Sunil Gavaskar
Sir Donald Bradman
Sachin Tendulkar
Sir Vivian Richards
Sir Garfield Sobers
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Malcolm Marshall
Dennis Lillee
Glenn McGrath

12th man: Muttiah Muralitharan

I was tempted to go the Richie Benaud way and play Imran Khan alongside Sobers but I couldn't find space for him. I could possibly play him in place of McGrath and bat him at 8.

 

[kirby]

Kirby - Quite similar to King Pietersen's. But good to have you on board chief

Thanks mate, nice to be welcomed. You know what they say about great minds

Previously I went with the Sobers/Gilchrist combo at 6 and 7. But I feel with Sangakkara and Botham, sure it's not quite as strong a batting combination, but they give you a better bowler in Beefy. Glovework differences between Sanga and Gilly are negligible. After all with Hadlee at 8, there is no need for formidable batting that far down. Playing a 3rd genuine quick means I can play 2 spinners if necessary whereas with Sobers I'd feel uneasy relying on him as the 3rd seamer. For the West Indies fine, but for a World XI? No.

Sobers give much more variety to an attack for mine, and although I think Sangakkara is a fantastic batsman, seriously on par with Tendulkar, Lara and Ponting as modern greats, I don't see how you can have him in a side as a keeper when he no longer keeps.

If I wanted more of a bowling all-rounder, I probably would have gone for Imran Khan rather than Beefy. But all that's just me, I suppose.

 

[King Pietersen]

Thanks mate, nice to be welcomed. You know what they say about great minds

:laugh Indeed.

Would actually make a couple of changes to my side now:

1. Sir Jack Hobbs
2. Barry Richards
3. Sir Donald Bradman
4. Sir Vivian Richards
5. Graeme Pollock
6. Sir Garfield Sobers
7. Alan Knott
8. Shane Warne
9. Malcolm Marshall
10. Dennis Lillee
11. Andy Roberts

Brought Andy Roberts in, in-place of Sydney Barnes. I'd recently read a great post on CW about Roberts, which made a fantastic point about him. With Marshall, Holding and Garner, they were all bowling with class bowlers at the other end. When Roberts started his career, he was bowling alongside very mediocre bowlers, but still managed to put up some fantastic numbers. Quality bowler.

Then I brought in Alan Knott in-place of Adam Gilchrist. Although I rate Gilly highly; Alan Knott is regarded as one of the better glovesmen in the history of the game. Might not have the batting ability of Gilchrist (though Knott was no mug with the bat, putting up decent numbers for his era) but he was a better keeper, and I think that's more important when it comes to an all-time XI.

 

[ZoraxDoom]

Let me try...

Hobbs
Gavaskar
Bradman
Sachin
???
Sobers
Don Tallon (+)
Marshall
Warne
Barnes
Lillee

Need one more batsman, not sure who. Also, tempted to replace Lillee with Imran Khan, for the additional batting.

Lara, Hammond, Dravid, Archie Jackson, Pollock, Viv, Worrell, Weekes, Walcott and Chappell are in consideration for that final spot.


EDIT: Also, I could remove Don Tallon and give Walcott the gloves. Sure, not a great keeper, but imagine the batting strength, and a five man attack of Marshall, Lillee, Warne, Barnes and Sobers should be able to do the job.

 

[War]

I reckon in such hypotetical all-time great batitng line-ups, you dont need to pick Gilchrist @ 7. One can & should definately look to have the best pure glovesman (even if he has to bat @# 11) of all-time in the team.

 

[sifter132]

Well Don Tallon's a great pick for the Aussies. All the old fellas really gush over his keeping abilities.

I don't see how you can have him in a side as a keeper when he no longer keeps.

If I wanted more of a bowling all-rounder, I probably would have gone for Imran Khan rather than Beefy. But all that's just me, I suppose.

Well my personal rule was you had to keep in more matches than not to be regarded as a keeper. Otherwise Clyde Walcott would have been an awesome keeper-batsman. But I know, Sangakkara is reaching that point where he hasn't kept for a while. Now it's 48 Tests with gloves, 40 without. I'm just trying to get the best batsman possible so I can play 5 bowlers one or two of which are bowling allrounders.

Botham v Khan. Yeah it's not easy. Imran was a better bowler to me, but Botham was more likely to punish bowling attacks with the bat. And that's why I picked him really. Beefy's certainly good enough to be an excellent 3rd seamer and would be an intimidating sight to see at #7 to finish off an innings.

 

[AkshayS]

1. Greame Pollock
2. Sunil Gavaskar
3. Don Bradman
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Brian Lara
6. Gary Sobers
7. Adam gilchrist
8. Kapil Dev
9. Shane Warne/Murlidharan
10. Richard Hedlee
11. Malclom Marshall.

 

[Dragon Fire]

Jack Hobbs
Victor Trumper
Don Bradman
Stan McCabe
Garry Sobers
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist
Wilfred Rhodes
Shane Warne
Wasim Akram
Dennis Lillee