A Combined India-Pakistan Test XI - Could it beat Australia in Australia?

[tippa]

As India had a nightmare series and pak having the same down under, i am wondering if combined Ind pak 11 would beat aus in aus

My team:
Azhar Ali
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Sarfaraz
Aswin
Jadeja
Amir
Wahab
Shami

Give your thoughts

 

[tanveer din]

As India had a nightmare series and pak having the same down under, i am wondering if combined Ind pak 11 would beat aus in aus

My team:
Azhar Ali
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Sarfaraz
Aswin
Jadeja
Amir
Wahab
Shami

Give your thoughts

In place of rahul there should be asad shafiq with pujara and azhar ali open with shafiq coming in one down, else is good team plus Ishant sharma in place of amir

 

[King Kong]

India drew two matches during their last tour and in contrast, I don't the find the 1st one "close" match as Australia declared in both of their innings. Indian bowling was atrociously poor throughout the series. That said, with better application in batting and luck, India could have drawn the two matches they lost as well and ended the series 0-0. It's bowling that let India down and Pakistan's hasn't been better either to make changes to the total result.

Hypothetically, this Indo-Pak XI could draw the series in Australia (series getting ended 0-0) :

Vijay
Rahul
Azhar
Kohli
Rahane
Shafiq
Sarfraz
Ashwin
Shami
Amir
Wahab/Umesh

 

[Vayuu]

My team would be
Azhar
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Sarfaraz
Ashwin
Jadeja
Aamir
Shami
Umesh

 

[King Kong]

My team would be
Azhar
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Sarfaraz
Ashwin
Jadeja
Aamir
Shami
Umesh

1. Pujara in place of Vijay? Vijay was our 2nd highest run scorer after Kohli with an average of 60. On the other hand, Pujara averaged 30 odd.

2. Two spin bowlers are redundant. If 4 bowlers can't take 20 wickets on those roads, 5 can't either. At least make the batting stronger which would be useful in drawing matches.

 

[BeautifulGame]

Vijay was the third highest scorer in that Australia series (Only Kohli and Smith ahead) and even outscored Warner .Scored nearly 500 runs at an average of 60 and also became the first ever Non-Aussie opener to score a 100 at Gabba (in 1st innings ) in its history.

He would shoe in that XI

 

[Balthazar]

My team would be
KL Rahul
Azhar Ali
Kohli
Rahane
Rohit
Ashwin
Saha
Amir
Shami
Yadav
Wahab

 

[street cricketer]

Vijay
Rahul
Azhar
Kohli (c)
Rahane
Sarfaraz (wk)
Ashwin
Amir
Yadav
Wahab
Shami

This team will compete far far better.

 

[Zak_Fan]

Azhar
Vijay
Rahul
Kohli
Rahane
Sarfaraz
Ashwin
Jadeja
Amir
Ishant
Shami

12th Man - Bhuvi

 

[Vayuu]

1. Pujara in place of Vijay? Vijay was our 2nd highest run scorer after Kohli with an average of 60. On the other hand, Pujara averaged 30 odd.

2. Two spin bowlers are redundant. If 4 bowlers can't take 20 wickets on those roads, 5 can't either. At least make the batting stronger which would be useful in drawing matches.

OK my bad, I will put vijay, but keep Pujara, the aim is to win not draw series, so 5 bowler is a must especially since both ash and jaddu can bat.

 

[MMHS]

Vijay
Rahul
Azhar
Kohli (c)
Rahane
Sarfaraz (wk)
Ashwin
Amir
Yadav
Wahab
Shami

This team will compete far far better.

Same team, just Yasir for Yadav. If 3 pacers can't do, 4 won't either; but in AUS, a leggi is must & against that 7 lefti, Ashwin is also must. Yasir is having a tough time, which partially due to the slavery he had to do under Misbah & partially for the the tactics used in AUS; but I back him to do much better under a Captain like Virat.

I think, I have written enough on why Yasir is a flop in ODI under Cuptan Azhar - you can relate that to his Test bowling in AUS with Azhar's boss as Captain. At present, Rahne is going through a rough time, still I'll keep him over Asad, but if Asad can help saving SCG Test, who knows - another century'll cast my vote for him.

 

[MMHS]

Same team, just Yasir for Yadav. If 3 pacers can't do, 4 won't either; but in AUS, a leggi is must & against that 7 lefti, Ashwin is also must. Yasir is having a tough time, which partially due to the slavery he had to do under Misbah & partially for the the tactics used in AUS; but I back him to do much better under a Captain like Virat.

I think, I have written enough on why Yasir is a flop in ODI under Cuptan Azhar - you can relate that to his Test bowling in AUS with Azhar's boss as Captain. At present, Rahne is going through a rough time, still I'll keep him over Asad, but if Asad can help saving SCG Test, who knows - another century'll cast my vote for him.

Just one change in order - Azhar will never play at 3 for my team, never - anywhere, against anyone. Either he'll open or drop to 5.

 

[Ab Fan]

Vijay
Rahul
Azhar
Kohli (c)
Rahane
Sarfaraz (wk)
Ashwin
Amir
Yadav
Wahab
Shami

This team will compete far far better.

Yasir in place of Yadav and rest remains same.

12th man - Bhuvi..

 

[street cricketer]

Same team, just Yasir for Yadav. If 3 pacers can't do, 4 won't either; but in AUS, a leggi is must & against that 7 lefti, Ashwin is also must. Yasir is having a tough time, which partially due to the slavery he had to do under Misbah & partially for the the tactics used in AUS; but I back him to do much better under a Captain like Virat.

I think, I have written enough on why Yasir is a flop in ODI under Cuptan Azhar - you can relate that to his Test bowling in AUS with Azhar's boss as Captain. At present, Rahne is going through a rough time, still I'll keep him over Asad, but if Asad can help saving SCG Test, who knows - another century'll cast my vote for him.

I will never go with just 4 bowlers in Australia unless the wicket is something like what south africa received in Hobart. I would be even more skeptical considering our (Indian) bowling. Last time we managed to get the top and middle order out from one end (Smith was solid as a rock at the other end), but our inability to get their lower order out proved to be the difference as MJ, Harris, Hazelwood and Starc all added valuable runs in each of those tests. We desperately missed the 5th bowler there. Also I'm skeptical of picking 2 spinners on any Australian track barring Sydney. Ideally I would like 3 genuine pacers + 1 seam bowling AR + 1 genuine spinner. My gut feel is that Kohli will definitely play 5 bowlers (most likely Shami+Yadav+Ishant/BK+Pandya+Ash/Jads) unlike Dhoni who always felt he needed more batting strength.

So it has to be either Ash or Yasir. I actually don't buy the leggies are obligatory in Australia argument. Might have been in the past but the Australian pitches have gotten consistently flatter since 2010. Stats indicate that invariably all visiting spinners struggle in Australia and the only visiting spinners with a semi decent record in the recent period has been Vettori and Herath, both of whom are finger spinners. Either way, I won't mind Yasir instead of Ashwin as well as long as he can be accurate and not leak too many runs.

There are no decent seam bowling ARs in Asia. I know Amir has struggled in this series and it was something I expected as well. He is short and more of a conventional swing bowler than a hit the deck bowler. It's difficult to trouble with his height on these roads, he's more Bhuvi like than Wahab or Shami or Yadav. I know he has much more pace than Bhuvi but pace never troubles Australian batsmen as they are grown up facing bowlers of similar pace if not higher. Amir would've had a far greater impact if Pakistan had received wickets similar to what SA received where he could have played a Philander like role. But it's not possible to trouble Australian batsmen with his height on these roads. I have picked him more for his batting as a pace bowling all rounder as he's the best batsman out of all the pacers.

It was a difficult decision to drop Shafiq but I had to sacrifice him for that 5th bowler. I know Rahane has been struggling lately but he is a touch player and he likes pace on the ball. I wouldn't be surprised if Pujara and Rahane's forms reverse if we tour Australia now. Also he enjoys true bounce on the ball and also is more attacking than Shafiq which counts in Australia (he was the one who actually started the assault on MJ at Melbourne post tea before Kohli did). He had a very good series in Aus 2 years back averaging 57 and played 3 or 4 good knocks (not to mention that he copped 1 or 2 rough decisions as well).

 

[Mamoon]

Only Azhar and Sarfraz are good enough to get into the Indian team.

 

[MMHS]

I will never go with just 4 bowlers in Australia unless the wicket is something like what south africa received in Hobart. I would be even more skeptical considering our (Indian) bowling. Last time we managed to get the top and middle order out from one end (Smith was solid as a rock at the other end), but our inability to get their lower order out proved to be the difference as MJ, Harris, Hazelwood and Starc all added valuable runs in each of those tests. We desperately missed the 5th bowler there. Also I'm skeptical of picking 2 spinners on any Australian track barring Sydney. Ideally I would like 3 genuine pacers + 1 seam bowling AR + 1 genuine spinner. My gut feel is that Kohli will definitely play 5 bowlers (most likely Shami+Yadav+Ishant/BK+Pandya+Ash/Jads) unlike Dhoni who always felt he needed more batting strength.

So it has to be either Ash or Yasir. I actually don't buy the leggies are obligatory in Australia argument. Might have been in the past but the Australian pitches have gotten consistently flatter since 2010. Stats indicate that invariably all visiting spinners struggle in Australia and the only visiting spinners with a semi decent record in the recent period has been Vettori and Herath, both of whom are finger spinners. Either way, I won't mind Yasir instead of Ashwin as well as long as he can be accurate and not leak too many runs.

There are no decent seam bowling ARs in Asia. I know Amir has struggled in this series and it was something I expected as well. He is short and more of a conventional swing bowler than a hit the deck bowler. It's difficult to trouble with his height on these roads, he's more Bhuvi like than Wahab or Shami or Yadav. I know he has much more pace than Bhuvi but pace never troubles Australian batsmen as they are grown up facing bowlers of similar pace if not higher. Amir would've had a far greater impact if Pakistan had received wickets similar to what SA received where he could have played a Philander like role. But it's not possible to trouble Australian batsmen with his height on these roads. I have picked him more for his batting as a pace bowling all rounder as he's the best batsman out of all the pacers.

It was a difficult decision to drop Shafiq but I had to sacrifice him for that 5th bowler. I know Rahane has been struggling lately but he is a touch player and he likes pace on the ball. I wouldn't be surprised if Pujara and Rahane's forms reverse if we tour Australia now. Also he enjoys true bounce on the ball and also is more attacking than Shafiq which counts in Australia (he was the one who actually started the assault on MJ at Melbourne post tea before Kohli did). He had a very good series in Aus 2 years back averaging 57 and played 3 or 4 good knocks (not to mention that he copped 1 or 2 rough decisions as well).

I have also put 5 bowlers - 3 pacers, 2 spinners; instead of 4 pacers and 1 spinner. Sarfu, Ash, Amir, Yasir, Wahab & Sami are decent No. 6 to 11.

 

[Vayuu]

My reason of picking yadav is wahab has a huge problem with no balls, also shami and umesh compliment each other, if I open bowling with shami and amir, and bring yadav +ashwin, yadav also likes bowling with bit old ball so I can attack from both end.

 

[Gilly]

Just dont have the bowlers.

 

[Rayyman]

Rahul 30 (48) b Lyon
Azhar 55 (161) b Lyon
Pujara 61 (124) c Wade b Hazel
Kohli* 49 (97) lbw Starc
Rahane 127 (239) b Starc
Sarfraz+ 40 (72) b Starc
Ashwin 1 (3) c Wade b Bird
Jadeja 29 (46) c Smith b Hazel
Amir 12 (14) c Wade b Hazel
Wahab 23 (20) not out
Shami 0 (1) c Renshaw b Hazel
427
This is at Gabba. Imagine what this lineup will do at MCG. Australia batting won't be able to score even 300 against this ATG bowling lineup.

 

[transitional]

Azhar
Vijay
Rahul
Kohli (C)
Rahane
Sarfaraz
Ashwin
Jadeja/Bhuvi
Aamir
Shami
Yadav/Ishant

1. Go for the kill and pick 5 bowlers. This lineup still bats quite deep
2. Sorry, but no pakistani fast bowlers have impressed. I would rather go with Yadav, who seems to bowl is heart out, or Ishant who has been good lately
3. Pujara has struggled overseas, so I dropped him. I am betting big on Rahul

 

[Sin Nombre]

Some very bizarre teams here with the selection of Yasir who is on target to hit a double century in three tests.

This is the team I would go with

Azhar
Vijay
Rahul
Kohli
Rahane
Sarfaraz
Ashwin
Jadeja
Amir
Shami
Wahab


In general, I agree with Gilly.

Shami is the only good bowler in Australian conditions in this lot; Jadeja will keep it tight and maybe the 2016 version of Ashwin can break down defenses.

But every combination of the other 2 seamers is pathetic.

I would rather play for a draw with extra batsmen and force Australia to make the conditions seaming (and suddenly Amir and Bhuvi are both world class) or old school WACA bouncy (where Wahab and Ishant are quite decent).


Even if you include SL, there is still only one good seamer for Aussie conditions.

 

[Sin Nombre]

The funny thing is that all you need to do is to add a Rabada to the team and suddenly I would pick the combined xi to beat the Aussies quite convincingly. One strike bowler.

 

[Rayyman]

The funny thing is that all you need to do is to add a Rabada to the team and suddenly I would pick the combined xi to beat the Aussies quite convincingly. One strike bowler.

I feel like in a lineup of Amir, Shami, Wahab, Jadeja and Ashwin, Wahab
can be a great strike bowler.

 

[blackanhyellow]

Even India, Pak combined team will lose against Aus in Aus.

Neither team has the fast bowlers required to win in these conditions.

 

[Sin Nombre]

I feel like in a lineup of Amir, Shami, Wahab, Jadeja and Ashwin, Wahab
can be a great strike bowler.

Too much of a spray gun. Maybe does better with Jadeja keeping it super tight on the other end and batsmen have to attack him?

 

[BeautifulGame]

Even India, Pak combined team will lose against Aus in Aus.

Neither team has the fast bowlers required to win in these conditions.

Wont lose ,most tests will end up as draws.Australia wont have the bowling attack to take 20 wkts against a INdia-Pak batting line up either.

 

[Rayyman]

Too much of a spray gun. Maybe does better with Jadeja keeping it super tight on the other end and batsmen have to attack him?

Exactly. As long as he doesn't bowl any no balls.

 

[Buffet]

Doesn't have pacers to do well in Aus.

 

[FlickedOffHips]

5-0 whitewash by India-Pak

 

[TestMatch]

Contemporary Pakistani fast bowlers bowl like 1980s Indian fast bowlers, so this "merger" doesn't really benefit India.

 

[Buffet]

Contemporary Pakistani fast bowlers bowl like 1980s Indian fast bowlers, so this "merger" doesn't really benefit India.

I also don't see how this combined team will play better than what Indians played last time in Aus. Batting may get slightly better, but there is no scope of bowling getting better.

 

[Gilly]

I also don't see how this combined team will play better than what Indians played last time in Aus. Batting may get slightly better, but there is no scope of bowling getting better.

Australia have traditionally lost every hypothetical match they have played, their record is horrendous in hypotheticals so a combined Pak/Ind should easily beat them in Australia, Japan and even America.

 

[volcyz]

Only Azhar Ali and Amir can make it into a combined 11.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Hmm. I'm not sure a combined team can beat OZ in OZ. However, I would play this lineup

Azhar
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Karun
Wridddhiman/Sarfraz(doesn't matter)
Ashwin
Jadeja
Aamir
Ishant.


This lineup might still get thrashed but let's face it. No fast bowler is gonna do exceptionally well in Australia but Aamir and Ishant might offer some control with Aamir's swing and Ishant's bounce. On a flat road, Shami will go for plenty and Wahab is a spray gun who takes wickets off no balls. Utterly useless. Aamir also offers a bit with the bat. This batting g lineup is also capable if piling up huge scores and scoreboard pressure might be the only way to win. It's a 4 man bowling attack so you need atleast two spinners to do the bulk of the bowling and Ash/Jaddu are the best spin duo across formats. Jaddu is accurate and can be handy with a bat and Ash can be useful against their left handers.

This team might actually have a chance if they win all the tosses and bat first.

 

[Chief Destroyer]

Hmm. I'm not sure a combined team can beat OZ in OZ. However, I would play this lineup

Azhar
Rahul
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Karun
Wridddhiman/Sarfraz(doesn't matter)
Ashwin
Jadeja
Aamir
Ishant.


This lineup might still get thrashed but let's face it. No fast bowler is gonna do exceptionally well in Australia but Aamir and Ishant might offer some control with Aamir's swing and Ishant's bounce. On a flat road, Shami will go for plenty and Wahab is a spray gun who takes wickets off no balls. Utterly useless. Aamir also offers a bit with the bat. This batting g lineup is also capable if piling up huge scores and scoreboard pressure might be the only way to win. It's a 4 man bowling attack so you need atleast two spinners to do the bulk of the bowling and Ash/Jaddu are the best spin duo across formats. Jaddu is accurate and can be handy with a bat and Ash can be useful against their left handers.

This team might actually have a chance if they win all the tosses and bat first.

Wasn't Pakistan's batting lineup better than India's couple of months ago?

 

[Nikhil_cric]

Wasn't Pakistan's batting lineup better than India's couple of months ago?

It was. But Misbah and Younis are finished now. That changes things quite a lot. The likes of Asad are serviceable batsmen but not truly world class. Only Azhar is I guess and Sami/Babar have been extremely disappointing. Still, ironically batting has been Pakistan's stronger suit for quite some time now. Also during the India/England series, the likes of Rahul and Nair have played outstanding knocks under pressure and Kohli is in the form of his life so I'd say our batting is comfortably better for now.

 

[Junaids]

Pakistan really has become the old India.

A few good batters and no bowlers!

 

[Chief Destroyer]

It was. But Misbah and Younis are finished now. That changes things quite a lot. The likes of Asad are serviceable batsmen but not truly world class. Only Azhar is I guess and Sami/Babar have been extremely disappointing. Still, ironically batting has been Pakistan's stronger suit for quite some time now. Also during the India/England series, the likes of Rahul and Nair have played outstanding knocks under pressure and Kohli is in the form of his life so I'd say our batting is comfortably better for now.

It was never better and certainly isn't now.

 

[spade]

No thanks... we are capable enough to beat aus, infact it would have been brilliant had ind toured aus immediately after pak series in australia. We could have gauged the two teams easily.

If anything, i would pick only Azhar and Yasir in my team.

 

[Nikhil_cric]

It was never better and certainly isn't now.

What would be your combined XI?

 

[Walidad]

KR rahul
Azhar ali
V kohli
C pujara
A RAHANY
Asad shafiq
SARFRAz
Ashwin
M SHAMI
AMIR
WAHAB

 

[Midwinter13992]

Azhar Ali
Murali Vijay
KL Rahul
Virat Kohli (c)
Ajinkya Rahane
Asad Shafiq
Parthiv Patel (wk)
Ravinder Jadeja
Wahab Riaz
Ishant Sharma
Umesh Yadav
12th man- Bhuvaneshwar


Azhar and Vijay were too good to feature as openers followed by Rahul at no.3 who can be more effective than Pujara or Younis.
Kohli is obvious choice as skipper and no.4.
Rahane was very impressive in last tour so is Asad Shafiq in this tour.
I'm picking Parthiv instead of Sarfaraz because i think Patel can play well on bouncy tracks and has a good pull shot.
Jadeja can be more effective than R Ashwin and Yasir Shah due to tight and accurate bowling.
Ishant and Umesh has done better there in past , Wahab is also stand out bowler for in this tour

 

[shariqnoor]

A combined India-Pakistan XI would be an India XI.

 

[Last Monetarist]

My combined team would be:

Rahul
Vijay
Azhar
Kohli
Rahane
Sarfraz
Ashwin
Jadeja
Wahab
Shami
Yadav

That team would probably still be pummeled by the Strayans.

 

[Sidilicious]

The most this team could do is bat out every game for a draw. Winning is out of question. I have thus gone for both Jadeja and Ash, as they offer something with the bat.

Vijay
Azhar Ali
Pujara
Kohli
Rahane
Asad Shafiq
Ashwin
Sarfaraz
Jadeja
Amir
Shami


If I have to select another pacer, I would choose Ishant over Asad Shafiq.

And If I have to go for a win (however unlikely), I would also select Wahab over Jadeja; and Ishant over Asad Shafiq.

Another batting option would be to replace Pujara with KL Rahul at 3.

 

[BeautifulGame]

What would be interesting is a combined India-Pakistan XI for England.Could easily even whitewash England in England.

 

[cric_fanatic]

Well, the current indian team has the potential to beat them. Pak is not really adding value to the team, be it bowling or batting. So i'd be happy with Indian team

 

[Hasan123]

Quality of fast bowlers isn't good enough to beat Australia. There is no issue with the batting line up.