Another draft!-Test players of the 90s and later - FINISHED!

[Gaurav_7]

Yeah but, Aditya didn't. Period.

And for class, I think you've got a competitor too - shravi's Lara, Laxman, Bell trio.

Agreed with the above. Lara and Laxman, both are brilliant. But, if you take Lara, Laxman and Bell together and Kallis, Mahela and Yousuf, I'd opt to watch mine 3-5 bat. Though, can't resist Lara, I love him!

 

[cricket_icon]

Watching Lara bat alongside Yousuf and Laxman would be a dream...just imagine the fluidity of that batting line up.

Ok my SL pick is Thilan Samaraweera. Just going to finalise my write up in a bit.

 

[Aoun13]

Where you'll bat Samaraweera? at number 6 or as an opener?

I guess we should keep in mind that batting position of a batsmen is almost as important as his skills. You can not put an opener at number 6-7. So kindly take players according to that even if you have a player with little less average. You must know that if sehwag had batted at number 6-7 he might not have an average of more then 35 not he ever be able to score triple 100s.

 

[mohit_dude10]

Sanath Jayasuriya

Debut v New Zealand at Hamilton, Feb 22-26, 1991

Mat: 110 | Runs: 6973 | Ave: 40 | HS: 340 | 50's: 31 | 100's: 14 | Wkts: 98 | Ave: 34.34 | BBI: 5/34 | BBM: 9/74​

Sanath Jayasuriya is my other opener. Sanath is one of the most destructive batsman of morden era. Opened for Sri Lanka for most part of his career, has given them some of the most solid starts, also he has been a significant part of Sri Lankas success in tests. Was a handy bowler too.

1. Sanath Jayasuriya
2. Dave Houghton
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Ramnaresh Sarwan
5. AB Devilliers
6. Craig McMillan
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Mohammed Amir
9. Muttiah Muralitharan
10. James Anderson
11.

 

[Aditya]

I don't see why Amla cannot open the batting in test matches. He's a very fine one day opener. Agreed that the test format is different but I don't think that I'd be able to pick two good openers in the remaining rounds. Amla is a excellent player and having him in your side is itself great for the balance of the team. I cannot open the batting with Ganguly, he batted at number 5 in test matches but Amla bats at number 3 so he's a better choice to open the batting than Ganguly.

Maybe, it would have been a better idea to pick Dravid instead of Ganguly but I have a reason for selecting Ganguly ahead of Dravid. Ganguly is a more than useful bowler. He does wonders to the balance of the team. Also the fact that Ganguly is someone who can play aggressively in the middle order whereas Dravid likes to take his time and build his innings. I could have picked both, Ganguly and Dravid but I wanted to start the draft for my team by selection a very decent bowler and I got Glenn Mcgrath so I'm not complaining.

 

[cricket_icon]

Where you'll bat Samaraweera? at number 6 or as an opener?

I guess we should keep in mind that batting position of a batsmen is almost as important as his skills. You can not put an opener at number 6-7. So kindly take players according to that even if you have a player with little less average. You must know that if sehwag had batted at number 6-7 he might not have an average of more then 35 not he ever be able to score triple 100s.

What? Why would Samaraweera be an opener? he is a middle order batsman .

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Thilan Samaraweera:

As his cricinfo profile so adequately puts it, Samaraweera's batting would not fill stadiums, but he is needed in a team of fluent stroke makers, much like the modern day Sri Lankan line up, my team consists of the likes of Ponting, Ryder and KP. Solidity and an insatiable thirst to accumulate runs, even at a snails pace is needed and that is where Samaraweera comes in. He is one of the few batsmen to average above 50 and not be considered for greatness but that is not required. He knows how to get runs and has done so in many tough conditions.

Tests 66
Runs 4597
Average 54.08
100s 12
HS 231 v Pakistan

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So my team without both openers looks like this:

1. W Hinds
2.
3. R Ponting C
4. K Pietersen
5. J Ryder
6. T Samaraweera
7. T Taibu WK
8. S Pollock
9. S Akhtar
10. S Mushtaq
11. I Sharma

 

[Aoun13]

What? Why would Samaraweera be an opener? he is a middle order batsman .

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Thilan Samaraweera:

As his cricinfo profile so adequately puts it, Samaraweera's batting would not fill stadiums, but he is needed in a team of fluent stroke makers, much like the modern day Sri Lankan line up, my team consists of the likes of Ponting, Ryder and KP. Solidity and an insatiable thirst to accumulate runs, even at a snails pace is needed and that is where Samaraweera comes in. He is one of the few batsmen to average above 50 and not be considered for greatness but that is not required. He knows how to get runs and has done so in many tough conditions.

Tests 66
Runs 4597
Average 54.08
100s 12
HS 231 v Pakistan

----------

So my team without both openers looks like this:

1. W Hinds
2.
3. R Ponting C
4. K Pietersen
5. J Ryder
6. T Samaraweera
7. T Taibu WK
8. S Pollock
9. S Akhtar
10. S Mushtaq
11. I Sharma

I mean even number 6 for player like Samaraweera is just waste you should put him in his right place. I mean just selecting players in the draft on the basis of thier average is not enough. You must think like a real coach/manager and I guess no captain will like to have samaraweera at number 6.

 

[sifter132]

^Well lets see your pick then chief I'm wary of doing too much criticism of batting order because I can see a scenario in this Sri Lanka round where I'll have to pick a batsman who doesn't fit into the #4 spot. I mean there's only been one decent #4 of late: Jayawardene. So any other batsman will need some tweaking. I could probably take an opener, because Gambhir bats at #3 in ODIs and is a good player of spin, so he should be able to handle that role pretty easily. Of course that wasn't in the masterplan, but sometimes you have no choice. I'm not picking a crappy player just because he was a #4.

Anyway, did not Samaraweera bat at #6 for a while?

He is one of the few batsmen to average above 50 and not be considered for greatness but that is not required. He knows how to get runs and has done so in many tough conditions.

Good sell I like Samaraweera's style, but I can't think of a time when I've read about a Samaraweera century, and no one other Sri Lankan has scored one at the same time. That either means that it's on flat pitches, or that he's better in partnerships than alone. That's not a bad thing though: being a good partnership player is important, I just think his 50+ average is a bit misleading.

Maybe, it would have been a better idea to pick Dravid instead of Ganguly but I have a reason for selecting Ganguly ahead of Dravid. Ganguly is a more than useful bowler. He does wonders to the balance of the team. Also the fact that Ganguly is someone who can play aggressively in the middle order whereas Dravid likes to take his time and build his innings. I could have picked both, Ganguly and Dravid but I wanted to start the draft for my team by selection a very decent bowler and I got Glenn Mcgrath so I'm not complaining.

I like the thinking - many of the teams won't have good balance or good bowling options, but I'm not sure Ganguly is the shining example of a batting all-rounder. He was a better ODI bowler I think.

 

[cricket_icon]

yep pretty much what I was thinking sifter. I needed a good enough batsman who could slot into my team and make runs. Samaraweera could actually come in at 5 or 6, if I was a coach I would like to have that sort of flexibility with my batting line up. I could even swap around taibu and pollock, although I wouldn't like to do that.

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and I just have to say I am well jealous of both users and sifters batting line ups

 

[mohit_dude10]

He is one of the few batsmen to average above 50 and not be considered for greatness but that is not required. He knows how to get runs and has done so in many tough conditions.

Perhaps because he is just an FTB? Averages around 30s outside Subcontinent.

 

[shravi]

Perhaps because he is just an FTB? Averages around 30s outside Subcontinent.

Sehwag averages 38 and he was the first pick in this draft .

 

[Gaurav_7]

Sehwag averages 38 and he was the first pick in this draft .

You also need to take into consideration the drafter in this case.

 

[cricket_icon]

Just hoping I have a bit of luck in the Australian round...
And my case in point about Sehwag, he is the opposite of Samaraweera. His stats have made many class him as a great batsman, but I would not do so. Very good but not great.

 

[Aditya]

I like the thinking - many of the teams won't have good balance or good bowling options, but I'm not sure Ganguly is the shining example of a batting all-rounder. He was a better ODI bowler I think.

Fair point you have made there. Ganguly might not be a wicket taking bowler but his bowling stats on cricinfo show that he was a bowler who didn't give away too many runs. Ganguly's economy in test matches is of 3.23 which shows that he's a bowler who had the ability to stop the runs. I've got him in my team so if the need be, he can bowl at least 10 overs. Surely a more than useful player to have in your team - a great player for the balance of your side.

 

[cricket_icon]

I agree, Ganguly brings balance to a team, which is needed. I always enjoy picking teams in which I can be flexible with both bat and ball.