World Test Team

[Fatal Shot]

Tamim is still understandable. He has probably been one of the best openers this year. But Collingwood? Over Clarke and AB? Then there is Ricky too, who has done nothing in the last 12 months. Even with that double century, his average has been a paltry 30.

 

[pcfan123]

Tamim is still understandable. He has probably been one of the best openers this year. But Collingwood? Over Clarke and AB? Then there is Ricky too, who has done nothing in the last 12 months. Even with that double century, his average has been a paltry 30.

You just have to look at his username to understand the pick. Its not made on merit but on fanboyism.

As for your Tamim point, I whole heartily agree, he was the best performing batsman this English summer, a summer which was overcast, damp and favorable in all aspects for the bowlers.

 

[Cricketman]

1. Virender Sehwag
2. Simon Katich
3. Kumar Sangakkara
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. AB de Villers
6. Shane Watson
7. MS Dhoni (wk) (C)
8. Graeme Swann
9. Zaheer Khan
10. Mohammad Asif
11. Dale Steyn

2nd XI

1. Graeme Smith
2. Tamim Iqbal
3. Hashim Amla
4. Jacques Kallis
5. Michael Clarke
6. VVS Laxman
7. Matt Prior (wk)
8. Nathan Hauritz
9. Mitchell Johnson
10. James Anderson
11. Dougie Bollinger

Mahela misses out for being an FTB, Vettori hasn't done jack all with the ball to get a mention (averages nearly 50 with the bat though). Watson has been a stellar allrounder to get into the first XI even if it means dropping down the order to number 6.

I like those two teams. I think it would be a pretty stellar battle if they went head to head. All selections were based on what I have seen (I've seen all the guys selected recently) and stats from the last 12 months.

 

[Dare]

1. Virender Sehwag
2. Simon Katich
3. Kumar Sangakkara
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. AB de Villers
6. Shane Watson
7. MS Dhoni (wk) (C)
8. Graeme Swann
9. Zaheer Khan
10. Mohammad Asif
11. Dale Steyn

2nd XI

1. Graeme Smith
2. Tamim Iqbal
3. Hashim Amla
4. Jacques Kallis
5. Michael Clarke
6. VVS Laxman
7. Matt Prior (wk)
8. Nathan Hauritz
9. Mitchell Johnson
10. James Anderson
11. Dougie Bollinger

Mahela misses out for being an FTB, Vettori hasn't done jack all with the ball to get a mention (averages nearly 50 with the bat though). Watson has been a stellar allrounder to get into the first XI even if it means dropping down the order to number 6.

I like those two teams. I think it would be a pretty stellar battle if they went head to head. All selections were based on what I have seen (I've seen all the guys selected recently) and stats from the last 12 months.

So where outside the the subcontinent did Sachin, Sanga, Sehwag bat in the past 12 months to not be labeled flat track bullies? If anyone has been a flat track bully it has been Sehwag.

 

[sifter132]

So where outside the the subcontinent did Sachin, Sanga, Sehwag bat in the past 12 months to not be labeled flat track bullies? If anyone has been a flat track bully it has been Sehwag.

Indeed - and not just this year, his whole career.

As well as that, what exactly has Zaheer Khan done recently to get him a spot ahead of Anderson or Bollinger or Morne Morkel (who too many people are leaving out of discussions). He carved up Bangladesh would be the answer to that. He knocked over Smith a couple of times in the SA series too, but apart from that there wasn't too much joy for him.

 

[Dare]

Indeed - and not just this year, his whole career.

As well as that, what exactly has Zaheer Khan done recently to get him a spot ahead of Anderson or Bollinger or Morne Morkel (who too many people are leaving out of discussions). He carved up Bangladesh would be the answer to that. He knocked over Smith a couple of times in the SA series too, but apart from that there wasn't too much joy for him.

And he hasn't played for a long time.

 

[Cricketman]

Purely for being a left hander Zak got a look in. 3 right handers would be too one dimensional. Aameer to me still hasn't proven himself.

We all know Sanga, Sachin and even Sehwag are capable of scoring outside the SC. Mahela simply isn't.

How the hell is Sehwag a fat track bully, he has scored heavily on some of the toughest pitches, absolute minefields, against the worlds best and most mysterious spinners.

There is no opener in the world like Sehwag. He scores so many runs at such a fast rate that he can win you the game in just a session.

 

[Collingwood50]

TBut Collingwood? Over Clarke and AB?

How can you have Collingwood as captain when you Ponting and Smith in the XI?

How does Colly even make the team

I like Collingwood.

 

[Dare]

Purely for being a left hander Zak got a look in. 3 right handers would be too one dimensional. Aameer to me still hasn't proven himself.

So is Bollingee, and he has been on of the best bowlers around and isnt actually injured.

We all know Sanga, Sachin and even Sehwag are capable of scoring outside the SC. Mahela simply isn't.

What makes you say that? He averages 40 in Africa, 42 in Americas and 42 in Europe. In these so called tough places to play (SA, NZ, Eng) Mahela averages same if not better then Sehwag.
Sachin and Sanga are all class but if you are making a team over the past 12 months then all you have to choose from India and Sri Lanka are batsman that played in the subcontinent. If thats good enough for them why isn't it for Mahela.

How the hell is Sehwag a fat track bully, he has scored heavily on some of the toughest pitches, absolute minefields, against the worlds best and most mysterious spinners.

Because he is held so high as an opener but hasn't scored in New Zealand, South Africa and England. Those are said to be the toughest pitches and he hasn't done anything on them.

 

[Cricketman]

India last toured England in 2007 and Sehwag wasn't even in the squad because he was in the worst form of his life. Before that he was still new to the scene and still finding his feet. it is only after his return to the team that Sehwag has become the, dare I say, Bradmanesque version we see today.

Same with South Africa. We opened with KKD and Jaffer in both SA and England series'. Don't forget though that Sehwag made his debut in SA, at number 6, and blitzed a ton against an awesome attack. He wasn't an opener then but still had a great impact.

 

[Dare]

Whats the difference with Mahela? The only place he toured when he was in form was Australia and he scored one century and a 49 against them. He toured England in 06 and before that he was out of form but still managed to score 60+ and a brilliant century. Not to mention that he had the burden of captaincy besides being their best middle order batsman at that time.

Like I said if we are talking about batsman performing over last 12 months then there is no way Mahela can be labeled as a flat track bully while Sanga, Sehwag and Tendulkar are exempt from that because they all played in the subcontinent in the last 12 months and nowhere outside it.

 

[pcfan123]

Same with South Africa. We opened with KKD and Jaffer in both SA and England series'. Don't forget though that Sehwag made his debut in SA, at number 6, and blitzed a ton against an awesome attack. He wasn't an opener then but still had a great impact.

I wish I had the statsguru skills to show you that South Africa is where the Indian batsmen (including legends) average the lowest. Can't wait to see what happens this time.

 

[Dare]

I wish I had the statsguru skills to show you that South Africa is where the Indian batsmen (including legends) average the lowest. Can't wait to see what happens this time.

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

Highest average is 41 from Laxman and obviously Sachin has the most runs and centuries but still averages 39.

 

[Mike23]

Almost all SC batsman are flat track bullies be it Sehwag or Mahela or Sanga, but it really won't surprising if they score 50s or 100s on bouncy/green wickets in Australia or England because afterall they are good players.

 

[StinkyBoHoon]

the SC is a flat track until we're talking about taking 800 wickets at 22 in which case it becomes a spinners paradise that clearly helped the bowler