World Test Team

[shravi]

1) Clarke and Dravid >>>> Sachin and Shiv

Well, I can't defend Shiv but Sachin for sure is a better batsman than Dravid. He can play counter-attacking innings too which Dravid very rarely does. Also, the situtaion Dravid brings the team into with his ridiculous strike rates often results in presssure on other end and hence a wicket too. So, Sachin is no doubt better than Dravid. Also, time n again he has chipped in with crucial breakthroughs.

2) Vettori is in because I can't think of any decent spinner at the moment. Sehwag and co has made Murli helpless and I won't be irrational to think that Murli's decline has started given his age and pitch conditions all around the world.

3) Aamer and Steyn >>>> Zaheer and Asif

Aamer is too young so long to go before he is chosen for a World XI and moreover, Asif is a proven match winner. About Zaheer/Steyn.. I already admitted I'm biased. More so, because I haven't seen Steyn in action of late.

Uhh, no, there is a great deal of doubt as to whether Sachin is better than Dravid in tests because it simply isn't true. They are equal. Hate to break it to you.

 

[MuchMore]

I see you haven't learned which sign means what.

Believe me, I feel exactly the same for you. :sarcasm

@shravi: I honestly believe that the amount of balls Dravid needs to get in puts a LOT of pressure on the other batsman to score. So, I will prefer Sachin over Dravid else it will more be of India+SA XI than a World XI. Its more of a situation where I can't keep Shiv/Clarke out to accommodate both Sachin and Dravid.

 

[Fatal Shot]

Believe me, I feel exactly the same for you. :sarcasm

You feel pity for me, for knowing which sign means greater than, and which sign means less than?

 

[MuchMore]

Ok, I am not too much into sarcasm nor do I want this thing to drag on and on. So, I will just put it straight:

> is 'greater than' from what I have read

TumTum used multiple 'greater than' signs to say that Clarke/Dravid combo is MUCH better than Sachin/Shiv combo.

Clarke and Dravid >>>> Sachin and Shiv

And I replied accordingly.

Now, where is the confusion?

 

[Fatal Shot]

Ok, I am not too much into sarcasm nor do I want this thing to drag on and on. So, I will just put it straight:

> is 'greater than' from what I have read

TumTum used multiple 'greater than' signs to say that Clarke/Dravid combo is MUCH better than Sachin/Shiv combo.


And I replied accordingly.

Now, where is the confusion?

Then you should have quoted TumTum. Anybody who would have read your post would have thought that it was your post as a whole. It's cleared up now.

 

[TumTum]

Hate to break it to you guys but this Team is made up of the CURRENT performers. :doh

 

[Cricketman]

Clarke and Dravid >>>> Sachin and Shiv

Clarke better than Sachin, thanks for the laugh. :laugh

 

[TumTum]

Clarke better than Sachin, thanks for the laugh. :laugh

Put them on a difficult track now, Clarke would smoke Sachin.

 

[Dare]

Put them on a difficult track now, Clarke would smoke Sachin.

I doubt that, Sachin is not Sehwag. I think your underestimating Sachin here.

 

[MuchMore]

Hate to break it to you guys but this Team is made up of the CURRENT performers. :doh

Oh yes, it certainly is. And I thought everyone was doing the same otherwise we wouldn't be seeing Clarkes and Devilliers in any line-ups. It would have been Bradmans and Lilles all over.

 

[Cricketman]

Put them on a difficult track now, Clarke would smoke Sachin.

ROFL.

:laugh

Nothing more to add.

On topic, any thoughts on a second XI?

 

[ZoraxDoom]

I'd like both Dravid and Sachin, but I'd understand leaving out Dravid, Sachin and Shiv because it's been a while since their last good run, and the current test series have seen guys like Gayle, Clarke, De Villiers getting more runs.


Still, despite Shiv's poor series against Aus, I'd like to have him. And Sachin is a no brainer for me because, well, he's Sachin. As capable as anyone in the world in taking the attack to seamers, spinners, can score on slow tracks, fast tracks, bouncy tracks, seaming tracks, can score them in any innings in any part of the world. The only thing he might not be the best in the world in is in grinding out an innings (Dravid and Shiv come above him), and even then he's pretty good. And some might say Punter plays a better counter-attacking innings, and he probably does, but he's a number 3 batsman and I had to stick Kallis in somewhere.

ZoraxDoom added 2 Minutes and 2 Seconds later...

ROFL, and you quote me!

:laugh

Now now, he might have a point. He says now, because Clarke's in brilliant form.

However, if you take them both in their peak forms, or give them both 3 months off and then stick them on a difficult wicket, Sachin would do better without a doubt.

But as for this moment, after a series where Sachin hasn't gotten bucketloads of runs compared to Clarke who's playing almost flawlessly, he has a point.

 

[Cricketman]

I don't know how you could ever doubt Sachin's inclusion tbh. I can understand why some would leave him out but you can never, ever dispute his selection.

The record speaks for itself. And if you think he's diminished, check his stats for the last year, last two years, both at home and away. He's still dominant.

 

[Dare]

On topic, any thoughts on a second XI?

Well here is my 2nd XI

Graeme Smith *
Chris Gayle
Rahul Dravid
AB De Villiers
Ross Taylor
Dwayne Bravo
Kamran Akmal/Brad Haddin +
Stuart Broad
Zaheer Khan
Murali
Harbhajan Singh

 

[MuchMore]

And Sachin is a no brainer for me because, well, he's Sachin. As capable as anyone in the world in taking the attack to seamers, spinners, can score on slow tracks, fast tracks, bouncy tracks, seaming tracks, can score them in any innings in any part of the world.

I don't know how you could ever doubt Sachin's inclusion tbh.

Ok, now we are talking.

I somehow feel I'm back to the present world and not stuck in past as TumTum almost made me feel.