Greatest World Test Cricket XI (1978 to 2020)

[Deleted Cyber]

Richards viv
Lara
Border
Pieterson
Tendulkar

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

May I just point out that Kumar Sangakkara played 86 Tests as a specialist batsman and averaged nearly 67. The man was a genius.

If he's not near your top five then I don't know what to say.

I'm going to be annoyed if there's some kind of fudge and he gets in as keeper (where he averaged 40 but there are better options).

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Ponting
Lara
Tendulkar
Richards (IVA)
Border

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Bloody hell. It's almost an impossible decision. So much talent to pick from.

 

[Doctor Doog]

Viv Richards
Brian Lara
Sachin Tendulkar
Allan Border
Zaheer Abbas

Don't get the bit about not picking Sanga as a keeper, which I will. There are better keepers, not that he wasn't test standard, but you are picking on overall contribution, and assuming there's nothing stopping him batting as well as he can just because he's keeping. Similar with Kallis as an all-rounder. You pick him based on his potential contribution with bat and ball.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Gilchrist only ever played as a keeper and averaged 47 so Sanga is never getting in there.

He does however beat everyone else as a batsman. Even Adam Voges with his freak figures.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

What’s his stats home in Sri Lanka v away?

 

[Johnny75]

Lara
Ponting
Tendulkar
V Richards
Sangakhara

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

What’s his stats home in Sri Lanka v away?

70.07 at home
63.61 away
62.00 "neutral" (basically Pakistan in the UAE)

 

[Trips]

Lara
Tendulkar
Ponting
Sangakhara
Steve Smith

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Sanga ain't going to get in here. It's nuts.

Average by country as a specialist batsman:

In Australia: 77.28 (4 Tests)
In Bangladesh: 95.42 (4 Tests)
In England: 52.60 (5 Tests)
In India: 48.20 (3 Tests)
In New Zealand: 80.50 (4 Tests)
In Pakistan: 60.00 (3 Tests)
In South Africa: 37.20 (5 Tests)
In Sri Lanka: 70.07 (47 Tests)
In UAE: 62.00 (6 Tests)
In West Indies: 42.80 (3 Tests)
In Zimbabwe: 140.50 (2 Tests)

 

[Sniffer]

I must admit that I sat down after doing my pick and thought of Sangakara. Oh well!

 

[slink]

Kumar Sangakkara
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Steve Smith
Virat Kohli

Much like DW i would have had Kallis in here but i'll leave him for the all rounder. This was tough because i could quite easily have included Ponting, Waugh, Dravid etc so those of you who are picking players before the 90's too must have had it really tough.

 

[Sniffer]

We not doing a specialist #3 for this then? Ok, no worries.

Ricky Ponting
Brian Lara
Kumar Sangakkara
Sachin Tendulkar
Steve Smith

That's just ridiculous. Plus all the players I've left out (Kallis missing as I'll save him for the all-rounder rather than waste him here).

On the No.3 point, I did a separate vote for the England team as we struggled to get someone decent there and I didn't want to fill the three spots with nobody who would bat there. On the World side there should be an array of talent who would.

 

[Sniffer]

I can't seem to find Sanga's record at Warwickshire. From what I recall it wasnt up to the high standards elsewhere in his career?

 

[Tony Towner]

I can't seem to find Sanga's record at Warwickshire. From what I recall it wasnt up to the high standards elsewhere in his career?

He was there when the team imploded under Greatbatch and were relegated. I think he did ok individually although didn't reach his Surrey heights

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Sanga ain't going to get in here. It's nuts.

Average by country as a specialist batsman:

In Australia: 77.28 (4 Tests)
In Bangladesh: 95.42 (4 Tests)
In England: 52.60 (5 Tests)
In India: 48.20 (3 Tests)
In New Zealand: 80.50 (4 Tests)
In Pakistan: 60.00 (3 Tests)
In South Africa: 37.20 (5 Tests)
In Sri Lanka: 70.07 (47 Tests)
In UAE: 62.00 (6 Tests)
In West Indies: 42.80 (3 Tests)
In Zimbabwe: 140.50 (2 Tests)

Figures stack up! Better than many of us think! I certainly didn't think he was that consistent. And a keeper. Two birds and all that!

 

[Sniffer]

Figures stack up! Better than many of us think! I certainly didn't think he was that consistent. And a keeper. Two birds and all that!

Ignore me. I didn’t read your reply properly.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

Ignore me. I didn’t read your reply properly.

Average over 40 as a keeper and a good one at that. He would be a shoe in bar Gilchrist.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Only one poster has gone for Dravid. That tells you everything about how fierce the competition is.