PlanetCricket's All Time XIs

[Aislabie]

What are TPC points?

It's the ranking system I worked out for my old cricket blog. It's a very simple formula (which was the idea) and it rewards both pace of scoring and weight of scoring for batsmen (where higher values are better) and the opposite (good control and wicket-taking) for bowlers (where lower values are better).

 

[Aislabie]

All-Time World ODI XI

Click here for my Test XI
Click here for my Twenty20 XI

I've picked the two extremes, now it's time to go for the middle ground: my all-time One-Day International XI.

Hashim Amla ( average: 50.21, TPC batting points: 447)
He scores a hundred every six ODIs (roughly) and on all but two occasions his team has gone on to win the game. A very valuable player to have.

Sanath Jayasuriya ( average: 32.36, TPC batting points: 295 / average: 36.75, TPC bowling points: 287)
Sanath has two roles: to attack during the fielding restrictions, and to bowl maidens in the middle overs. No ODI batsman has got out more times than he has.

Virat Kohli ( average: 53.11, TPC batting points: 482)
Given that he has perfected the art of the run-chase, it seems silly not to have him in this team. His career numbers are suitably terrifying for bowlers.

AB de Villiers ( average: 54.28, TPC batting points: 544)
Statistically, AB de Villiers is considerably better than any other ODI batsman there has ever been. His ability to hit any ball anywhere has a lot to do with this.

MS Dhoni ( average: 50.96, TPC batting points: 453)
It's an odd thing to say about a guy who averaged 50, but most of his career has seen Dhoni wasted with the bat. The higher he pushes up the batting order, the better he gets.

Michael Bevan ( average: 53.58, TPC batting points: 397)
Although his runs don't come at a phenomenal strike rate, Bevan was masterful at doing exactly what was needed and nothing more. Also bowled surprisingly good wrist-spin.

Lance Klusener ( average: 41.10, TPC batting points: 370 / average: 29.95, TPC bowling points: 235)
Despite being originally considered a tail-ender, Klusener's hitting ability was too good to be ignored. He also bowled rapidly before injuries slowed him down a bit.

Wasim Akram ( average: 16.52, TPC batting points: 140 / average: 23.52, TPC bowling points: 153)
Not only was Wasim able to make a cricket ball do strange enough things to dismiss 502 ODI batsmen, but he was also good enough to hit a vicious Test 257.

Mitchell Starc ( average: 16.18, TPC batting points: 148 / average: 19.88, TPC bowling points: 160)
Mitchell Starc's 150-kph yorkers make him the scariest fast bowler of his generation. Comes with the added bonus of giving it a biff down the order.

Saqlain Mushtaq ( average: 21.78, TPC bowling points: 156)
He may not be the off-spinner many expected to feature in this team, but his numbers speak for themselves. Hard to hit someone to the boundary if you don't know which way it's spinning.

Joel Garner ( average: 18.84, TPC bowling points: 97)
Joel Garner is the only bowler ever to have a sub-100 career bowling rating. If Bradman were an ODI bowler, he'd have been Joel Garner.

There's one surprise in my three teams: no player (as far as I know) made an appearance in more than one team. This was not planned.

 

[blockerdave]

I'd go:

Barry Richards - if you counted WSC SuperTests & and the 1970 ROW matches as Tests (which you absolutely should) Richards would have enough innings to be counted in the official records, and his record would be 1,298 runs from 22 innings at an average of 61.81. As a player for the big occasion (his WSC SuperTest average was 79.14)
Herb Sutcliffe - only Englishman to average over 60. I thought of a top 3 of Hobbs, Sutcliffe & Richards...
Brian Lara - the best batsman of his generation. of all the players i grew up watching, he is the player i would pay to watch in his pomp again. glorious.
Don Bradman - the best batsman of any generation
Sachin Tendulkar - being 2nd to Lara is no disgrace
Viv Richards - best batsman of the 70s/80s
Gary Sobers - best all round cricketer ever
Adam Gilchrist - tempted to stick an Alan Knott / Jack Russell pure keeper in, because there's enough runs here and you'll want every wicket taken, but how could you leave him out!
Wasim Akram - most skilful bowler in the world of his era which was a great one
Malcolm Marshall - great great great
Shane Warne - best spinner ever
Syd Barnes - test bowling average of 16.43 during what was considered a golden age of batting

Lots of honourable mentions: Hobbs, Greenidge, Ponting, G Chappell, Kallis, Sangakarra, Botham, D'Oliveira, A Flower, Holding, Murali, McGrath, Gooch, Border, S Waugh, Waqar, Bishan Bedi...

 

[Satan666]

I'd go:

Barry Richards - if you counted WSC SuperTests & and the 1970 ROW matches as Tests (which you absolutely should) Richards would have enough innings to be counted in the official records, and his record would be 1,298 runs from 22 innings at an average of 61.81. As a player for the big occasion (his WSC SuperTest average was 79.14)
Herb Sutcliffe - only Englishman to average over 60. I thought of a top 3 of Hobbs, Sutcliffe & Richards...
Brian Lara - the best batsman of his generation. of all the players i grew up watching, he is the player i would pay to watch in his pomp again. glorious.
Don Bradman - the best batsman of any generation
Sachin Tendulkar - being 2nd to Lara is no disgrace
Viv Richards - best batsman of the 70s/80s
Gary Sobers - best all round cricketer ever
Adam Gilchrist - tempted to stick an Alan Knott / Jack Russell pure keeper in, because there's enough runs here and you'll want every wicket taken, but how could you leave him out!
Wasim Akram - most skilful bowler in the world of his era which was a great one
Malcolm Marshall - great great great
Shane Warne - best spinner ever
Syd Barnes - test bowling average of 16.43 during what was considered a golden age of batting

Lots of honourable mentions: Hobbs, Greenidge, Ponting, G Chappell, Kallis, Sangakarra, Botham, D'Oliveira, A Flower, Holding, Murali, McGrath, Gooch, Border, S Waugh, Waqar, Bishan Bedi...

Glad to see mention of Barry Richards, legendary guy doesnt get the recognition he derserves

 

[ParkedTheBus]

Test:

Jack Hobbs - A statistical and a physical marvel, playing well into his 40s and still maintaining an exceptional average. Played over 800 games in his career and scored nearly 200 centuries!
Brian Lara - A ridiculously prolific accumulator of runs who was cruelly born in an era that couldn't get him the success that he deserved.
Don Bradman - 99.94, enough said.
Ricky Ponting - Could be the most contentious pick but in my opinion, the best player of his generation in his pomp. He didn't defeat opponents, he decimated them. Led arguably the best side of all-time from the front and handled his and his team's decline with grace.
Sachin Tendulkar - A monstrous scorer but scoring wasn't his most positive trait. It was his ability to carry the hopes of millions wherever he went and the ability to bounce back from injuries that might have curtailed others.
Jacques Kallis - The most underrated player of this century, one who could bat for six or seven hours and then return to bowl ten overs without breaking a sweat. His batting aged like wine, transforming into a legendary player.
Gary Sobers - A player capable of making good sides great, and great sides immortal. Was it his ability to bat long as well fast? Was it his bowling? Was it his ability to catch anything within a two-mile radius? Or was it his personality and aura? Whatever it was, he has the biggest claim to being the best cricketer of all-time due to his all round prowess.
Adam Gilchrist - Need a batsman to shepherd the tail? Or do you need a batsman to destroy bowling sides within overs? How about a player who could do with equal competence? That's Adam Gilchrist. An extremely likeable player but one who had steel behind the smile.
Malcolm Marshall - The most skillful of West Indies' feared pace bowling stable. Could bowl at 140+ while not losing an inch of swing or seam. By the accounts of many, the greatest fast bowler that has ever lived. Also a handy bat. Sadly taken away too soon.
Curtly Ambrose - Scary, to sum it up in one word. Reserved his best for Australia and when he bowled, he was out for blood, not for wickets. Adjusted exceptionally well to his growing age, displaying his finesse to go with his ferocity.
Glenn McGrath - The consistent line-and-length bowler to complement the two demons. Emerged as a young bowler of bowling express pace but as he aged, his skill came to the fore. One of those very rare players who would've been just as effective if he continued playing into his 50s and 60s.



It is difficult to pick the likes of Graeme Pollock and Barry Richards because they didn't play much of official "Test" cricket (let's be a bit pedantic here). Other honourable mentions: Dale Steyn, Sir Viv, Kumar Sangakkara, Ken Barrington, Wasim Akram, Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh, Ian Botham, Shane Warne, Richard Hadlee, Muttiah Muralidharan and Imran Khan.

Will perhaps do ODI/T20 sometime in the future.

 

[Santander]

I've tried to pick teams that are balanced and with a good bit of flair that I'd enjoy watching.

Test XI
Sunil Gavaskar
Gordon Greenidge
Don Bradman
Graeme Pollock
Garry Sobers
Adam Gilchrist
Ian Botham
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Malcolm Marshall
Dale Steyn

ODI XI
Adam Gilchrist
Sachin Tendulkar
Viv Richards
AB de Villiers
Kumar Sangakkara
Jacques Kallis
Imran Khan
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Waqar Younis
Dennis Lillee

T20 XI
Brendon McCullum
Sunil Narine
AB de Villiers
Glenn Maxwell
Shane Watson
MS Dhoni
Andre Russell
Chris Morris
Dwayne Bravo
Mitchell Starc
Imran Tahir

 

[Markkkkk]

I think it's fair to say the Don has one-down tied up

 

[Samuels]

Now, this might be very debatable but I would pick from the ones I have watched them play LIVE on TV. Sorry for ignoring all the great cricketers from the past but I do not want to judge purely on highlights.

Test XI

Matthew Hayden
Graeme Smith
Ricky Ponting
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Wasim Akram
Curtly Ambrose
Allan Donald

Sehwag, Murali, Amla and Bond be the backups.

ODI XI

Sachin Tendulkar
Sanath Jayasuriya
Ricky Ponting
Virat Kohli
Adam Gilchrist
AB de Villiers
Lance Klusener
Andrew Flintoff
Allan Donald
Muralitharan
Waqar Younis

Saeed Anwar and Saqlain Mushtaq narrowly miss out to Tendulkar and Murali. Amla misses out to Ponting.


I feel Flintoff deserves a lot more respect than he gets for his bowling. A tall, strong guy genuinely quick and more often than not carrying the England attack and he could bat good too. And then there is Klusener who was a breathtaking batsman and could bowl decently as well. Klusener and Flintoff would support each other well.

 

[Satan666]

Now, this might be very debatable but I would pick from the ones I have watched them play LIVE on TV. Sorry for ignoring all the great cricketers from the past but I do not want to judge purely on highlights.

Test XI

Matthew Hayden
Graeme Smith
Ricky Ponting
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Wasim Akram
Curtly Ambrose
Allan Donald

Sehwag, Murali, Amla and Bond be the backups.

ODI XI

Sachin Tendulkar
Sanath Jayasuriya
Ricky Ponting
Virat Kohli
Adam Gilchrist
AB de Villiers
Lance Klusener
Andrew Flintoff
Allan Donald
Muralitharan
Waqar Younis

Saeed Anwar and Saqlain Mushtaq narrowly miss out to Tendulkar and Murali. Amla misses out to Ponting.


I feel Flintoff deserves a lot more respect than he gets for his bowling. A tall, strong guy genuinely quick and more often than not carrying the England attack and he could bat good too. And then there is Klusener who was a breathtaking batsman and could bowl decently as well. Klusener and Flintoff would support each other well.

T20 side?

 

[LiveLoveABD]

Test XI

Matthew Hayden
Virender Sehwag
Rahul Dravid
Jaques Kallis
Kumar Sangakkara
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers
Andrew Flintoff
Shane Warne
Graeme Swann
Wasim Akram
Dale Steyn

Keeping duties shared between KS and AB. One for each innings/test/series.

ODI XI

Adam Gilchrist
Sachin Tendulkar
Virat Kohli
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers
Ben Stokes
MS Dhoni
Andre Russell
Shane Warne
Wasim Akram
Mitchell Starc
Curtly Ambrose

T20 XI

David Warner
Chris Lynn
Virat Kohli
Abraham Benjamin de Villiers
MS Dhoni
Ben Stokes
Andre Russell
Wasim Akram
Shane Warne
Mitchell Starc
Kuldeep Yadav

 

[Jagar]

TEST XI
1. Herbert Sutcliffe
2. Sunil Gavaskar
3. Don Bradman
4. George Headley
5. Sachin Tendulkar
6. Ian Botham
7. Adam Gilchrist (wk)
8. Shane Warne
9. Malcolm Marshall
10. Wasim Akram
11. Lance Gibbs

ODI XI
1. Chris Gayle
2. Sachin Tendulkar
3. Ricky Ponting
4. Viv Richards
5. Dean Jones
6. Kapil Dev
7. MS Dhoni (wk)
8. Wasim Akram
9. Michael Holding
10. M. Muralitharan
11. Joel Garner

 

[Samuels]

T20 side?

Here you go. It might not have the most popular choices but I believe this make the strongest T20 side.

David Warner
Chris Gayle
Virat Kohli
Brendon McCullum
Shane Watson
Andre Russell
Shahid Afridi
Dwayne Bravo
Sunil Narine
Lasith Malinga
Saeed Ajmal

12th man Ian Harvey. Muralitharan to be the cover for Narine and Ajmal. Kevin Pietersen and Yuvraj Singh round off my 15. Shaun Marsh and Marcus Trescothick miss out.

Afridi might be miss with the bat but with Russell and Bravo around batting should be covered. I personally feel Afridi, the bowler was way more tough to hit away particularly with his faster one than Shakib Al Hassan.

Ajmal might not be at his best with his new action but his record in T20 cricket speaks volumes of his contribution.

 

[Andrew17]

Test IX

Barry Richards
D. Bradman
R. Ponting*
BC Lara
Viv Richards
C. Lloyd*
A. Gilchrist+
S. Warne
M. Marshall
W. Akram
S. Bond

12th man (Virat Kohli)

Bond and Barry didnt play much test matches but had they played more I am of the firm belief they'll easily had stellar stats. The SA isolation from the game really deprived fans of a legend in Barry Richards. Two captains in Ponting and Lloyd dont know which is the best!

ODI IX

H. Amla
A. Gilchrist
V. Kholi
Viv Richards
Imran Khan*
MS Dhoni*
A. Donald
J. Garner
W. Akram
Waqar Younis
Shoaib Akthar

12th man (Saqlain Mushtaq)

T20 IX


Sorry about T20 teams, dont follow the format as much and despise it in general!

I'd replace Bond with Hadlee

 

[Monk1]

TEST XI
1. Herbert Sutcliffe
2. Sunil Gavaskar
3. Don Bradman
4. George Headley
5. Sachin Tendulkar
6. Ian Botham
7. Adam Gilchrist (wk)
8. Shane Warne
9. Malcolm Marshall
10. Wasim Akram
11. Lance Gibbs

Botham over Sobers?
Gibbs over Murali?

 

[Santander]

Botham over Sobers?
Gibbs over Murali?

Botham was a match winner and more of a bowling all-rounder than Sobers. (not saying that Sobers wasn't a match winner) He took a five-for and a century in the same Test 5 times. He's definitely a competitor for the all-rounder spot in an all-time XI, imo.