All-time best Test XI to tour India

[Harsh Thakor]

This is my all-time xi to tour India in test cricket.Considered players only who toured India.

1.Gordon Greenidge
2.Matthew Hayden
3.Rohan Kanhai
4.Everton Weekes
5.Clive Lloyd(captain)
6.Gary Sobers
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Wasim Akram
9.Malcolm Marshall
10.Derek Underwood
11.Courtney Walsh

Gordon Greenidge batted like a master in 1974-75,83,94 and 87-88.On 2001 tour Matthew Hayden displayed mastery at it's highest watermark.Everton Weeke's record 774 runs in 1950 speaks for itself.Rohan Kanhai in 1958-59 played spin like a genius.Clive Lloyd was an epitome of consistency in 1974-75 and 1983-84 ,scoring match-wining centuries and averaging around 80.Gary Sobers was a street above anyone in terms of all-round skill .Malcolm Marshall was a class act in 1983-84.Derek Underwood was the ultimate one for bad wickets.Courtney Walsh overshadowed every bowler on both the 1987-88 and 1994-95 tours .Although not so impressive statistically Wasim took some crucial scalps like no one could in both 1987 and 1999.Adam Gilchrist was the most destructive no 7 batsmen to tour .I chose Clive Lloyd to lead the team with his outstanding captaincy record.Noticeable the xi contains 7 West Indian cricketers.

Shane Warne was hardly succesful in India,nor was Brian Lara.Don Bradman never toured India.Zaheer Abbas was not in form on 1979-80.Younus Khan just misses out by a whisker and so does the great Imran Khan or even Andy Roberts.

 

[silent ischemia]

This is my all-time xi to tour India in test cricket.Considered players only who toured India.

1.Gordon Greenidge
2.Matthew Hayden
3.Rohan Kanhai
4.Everton Weekes
5.Clive Lloyd(captain)
6.Gary Sobers
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Wasim Akram
9.Malcolm Marshall
10.Derek Underwood
11.Courtney Walsh

Gordon Greenidge batted like a master in 1974-75,83,94 and 87-88.On 2001 tour Matthew Hayden displayed mastery at it's highest watermark.Everton Weeke's record 774 runs in 1950 speaks for itself.Rohan Kanhai in 1958-59 played spin like a genius.Clive Lloyd was an epitome of consistency in 1974-75 and 1983-84 ,scoring match-wining centuries and averaging around 80.Gary Sobers was a street above anyone in terms of all-round skill .Malcolm Marshall was a class act in 1983-84.Derek Underwood was the ultimate one for bad wickets.Courtney Walsh overshadowed every bowler on both the 1987-88 and 1994-95 tours .Although not so impressive statistically Wasim took some crucial scalps like no one could in both 1987 and 1999.Adam Gilchrist was the most destructive no 7 batsmen to tour .I chose Clive Lloyd to lead the team with his outstanding captaincy record.Noticeable the xi contains 7 West Indian cricketers.

Shane Warne was hardly succesful in India,nor was Brian Lara.Don Bradman never toured India.Zaheer Abbas was not in form on 1979-80.Younus Khan just misses out by a whisker and so does the great Imran Khan or even Andy Roberts.

I am a bigger fan of Akram compared to Imran; but Imran for Akram here.

 

[Convict]

No SOK?

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Steven O'keefe should be the first name on the list - THE GOAT !!

 

[Protea Fan]

Gilly had a medicore record out their....Flower will be a better choice

 

[Bhaag Viru Bhaag]

All time best? Just select this current australian team touring India and get done with this thread. No one has given us the beating like this team did it to us.

 

[soso_killer]

I will pick players that went toe to toe with India in their best era.

1.) G. Kirsten
2.) A. Cook/Hayden
3) Amla
4) Kallis
5) S. Waugh (C)
6) AB
7) G Flower +
8) Pollock
9) G. Swann
10) Steyn
11) Donald

This is a super batting line-up, with two phenomenal fast bowlers in Steyn and Donald. I dare say they could be favourites.
Pollock will be relied upon to bowl those dry spells, 1/14 in 7 overs come back later for more miserly spells. Useful with the bat down the order as well.
Donald and Steyn will bowl short bursts in an attacking role.
Kallis and Waugh could role their arm as well for a combined 15-20 overs in a day.
Swann is more than good enough to plug an end, if anything he's an attacking option too.

I wanted to select McGrath ahead of Pollock, I then figured they played similar roles in India with Pollock a far superior bat. Would need as much batting as possible in those conditions for foreign players without significantly weakening the bowling.

Also between Cook and Hayden maybe Cook as he gives me an option to save the match should things go south. Together with Kirsten they'd grind any attack to the ground. Then again when you win the toss and bat first Hayden could give the side a flying start.
But I'll still stick with Cook.

 

[Varun]

Nobody picking Damien Martyn?

I will pick players that went toe to toe with India in their best era.

1.) G. Kirsten
2.) A. Cook/Hayden
3) Amla
4) Kallis
5) S. Waugh (C)
6) AB
7) G Flower +
8) Pollock
9) G. Swann
10) Steyn
11) Donald

I dare say that's missing a few South African names there.

 

[soso_killer]

Nobody picking Damien Martyn?



I dare say that's missing a few South African names there.

over who though?

This list is obviously dominated by South Africans because they dominated India in India. The only side to do so. What's more impressive is that they did in India's greatest era, against the greatest side for Asian conditions. Some of SA victories against India were so comprehensive. Not even the great Aussies could do that.
Take Mumbai and Bangalore in 2000 and Ahmadabad 2008. SA had a 5 all record since readmission prior to the 3-0 defeat in India. No other team came even close.

Similarly a team touring SA will be dominated by Australians and a few English players. Wouldn't you agree?

 

[soso_killer]

[MENTION=132715]Varun[/MENTION] could you pick your greatest XI to tour India since 1990?

 

[Nil Dhumrojal]

What about murali???

 

[Varun]

[MENTION=132715]Varun[/MENTION] could you pick your greatest XI to tour India since 1990?

To each their own. Here's mine:

Cook (c)
Hayden
Pietersen
Martyn
Kallis
Sangakkara (wk)
Saqlain Mushtaq
Swann
Hadlee
Steyn
McGrath

 

[Last Monetarist]

I'd certainly have Martyn and Donald in the team for Everton Weekes and Wasim Akram. Weekes might have scored tons of runs in the post-independence years but I think Martyn's role in securing Australia's first win in over 30 years cannot be downplayed and is arguably a far bigger achievement in context. Similarly, Donald was phenomenal on the 96 tour and won the series in 2000 with some of the most hostile pace bowling you could ever hope to see on the subcontinent. I'm happy with the rest of the team chosen by the OP.

 

[TestMatch]

I remember one freakish stat: Jimmy Adams (now the WI head coach) averages 173 in India. He was a pretty good grafter until that head injury.

Chanderpaul and Cook are good in India, averaging 52ish.

 

[Hasan123]

[MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] your 11 please???

 

[Bilal7]

A more modern XI, from the turn of the decade would look like this:

1) Alastair Cook
2) Graeme Smith (c)
3) Hashim Amla
4) Kevin Pietersen
5) Steven Smith
6) AB de Villiers (wk)
7) Ben Stokes
8) Graeme Swann
9) Monty Panesar
10) Dale Steyn
11) Mitchell Starc

 

[Messiah]

1) Steven O'Keefe
2) Steven O'Keefe
3) Steven O'Keefe
4) Steven O'Keefe
5) Steven O'Keefe
6) Steven O'Keefe
7) Steven O'Keefe
8) Steven O'Keefe
9) Steven O'Keefe
10) Steven O'Keefe
11) Steven O'Keefe

 

[marlonbrowndo]

1) Steven O'Keefe
2) Steven O'Keefe
3) Steven O'Keefe
4) Steven O'Keefe
5) Steven O'Keefe
6) Steven O'Keefe
7) Steven O'Keefe
8) Steven O'Keefe
9) Steven O'Keefe
10) Steven O'Keefe
11) Steven O'Keefe

That's more like it

 

[Yatoo]

Without younis khan and Zaheer Abbas, all the list are listless.

 

[Varun]

A more modern XI, from the turn of the decade would look like this:

1) Alastair Cook
2) Graeme Smith (c)
3) Hashim Amla
4) Kevin Pietersen
5) Steven Smith
6) AB de Villiers (wk)
7) Ben Stokes
8) Graeme Swann
9) Monty Panesar
10) Dale Steyn
11) Mitchell Starc

What are Stokes & Starc doing there!?

 

[Pantani]

What are Stokes & Starc doing there!?

Starc is a quality pace all rounder in Indian conditions, you can get 12 overs a day of 90mph easily out of him and you can bank on him shoring up the batting even on rank turners at number 8

 

[Varun]

Starc is a quality pace all rounder in Indian conditions, you can get 12 overs a day of 90mph easily out of him and you can bank on him shoring up the batting even on rank turners at number 8

He averages 59 with the ball though. Even Ishant can do better wherever he goes.

 

[soso_killer]

To each their own. Here's mine:

Cook (c)
Hayden
Pietersen
Martyn
Kallis
Sangakkara (wk)
Saqlain Mushtaq
Swann
Hadlee
Steyn
McGrath

Fair enough but this bowling attack is too reliant on Dale Steyn IMO.
With all due respect to the likes of Botham and Hadlee, but the Indian side (and Sri Lanka for that matter though they were minnows) they faced in the 70's and 80's were a nothing side to what they became in the 90's and the complete package in the 2000's.
Pakistan was very strong in the 80's the second best side after the Windies. Hadlee did nothing against them. I dare say India's batting unit is much stronger than that of the Pakistan side of the 80's Hadlee failed against. So it would be speculative to have him in the starting XI. He could have thrived, he could have failed as well, will never know.

Bowlers in the mold of Pollock and McGrath won't win you matches alone in the subcontinent. They're miserly bowlers there relying on economical spells.
I wouldn't have them ahead of strike bowlers like Donald, Waqar and Marshall.


Sangakkara also did nothing in India, I'd have flower. KP was inconsistent too and is no number 3.

A better modification of your XI

1. A. Cook
2. M. Hayden
3. YK/Amla
4. J. Kallis
5. D. Martyn
6. A. Flower +
7. S. Mushtaq
8. G. Swann
9. D. Steyn
10. G. McGrath
11. A. Donald/Gillespie

That's a much better represented side.

 

[Varun]

Fair enough but this bowling attack is too reliant on Dale Steyn IMO.
With all due respect to the likes of Botham and Hadlee, but the Indian side (and Sri Lanka for that matter though they were minnows) they faced in the 70's and 80's were a nothing side to what they became in the 90's and the complete package in the 2000's.
Pakistan was very strong in the 80's the second best side after the Windies. Hadlee did nothing against them. I dare say India's batting unit is much stronger than that of the Pakistan side of the 80's Hadlee failed against. So it would be speculative to have him in the starting XI. He could have thrived, he could have failed as well, will never know.

Bowlers in the mold of Pollock and McGrath won't win you matches alone in the subcontinent. They're miserly bowlers there relying on economical spells.
I wouldn't have them ahead of strike bowlers like Donald, Waqar and Marshall.


Sangakkara also did nothing in India, I'd have flower. KP was inconsistent too and is no number 3.

A better modification of your XI

1. A. Cook
2. M. Hayden
3. YK/Amla
4. J. Kallis
5. D. Martyn
6. A. Flower +
7. S. Mushtaq
8. G. Swann
9. D. Steyn
10. G. McGrath
11. A. Donald/Gillespie

That's a much better represented side.

Like I said, to each their own. Your side looks fairly well set too, though looks a batsman short if you're doing away with the all-rounder.

 

[Pantani]

He averages 59 with the ball though. Even Ishant can do better wherever he goes.

Oh, I wasn't aware of that. Still, I'm sure with his pace he will improve those figures. Like Shoaib used to say, it doesn't matter what the pitch is like because the air is ours (or something to that effect).

 

[Pantani]

As long as we're doing XIs, here's mine, I just picked the guys with the best numbers

McKenzie - 341 runs @ 85.25
Hayden - 1027 runs @ 51.35
Younis Khan - 768 runs @ 76.8
A Flower - 643 runs @ 107.16
M Jayawardene (c) - 628 runs @ 62.80
Misbah-ul-Haq - 464 runs @ 116
P Jayawardene (wk) - 297 runs @ 74.25, 2 c 1 st
Gillespie - 33 wickets @ 21.72
Saqlain Mushtaq - 24 wickets @ 20.95
Imran Tahir - 14 wickets @ 21.35
McGrath - 31 wickets @ 19.90

No problem with the team balance, McGrath can bowl forever without breaking down despite the heat & humidity which Steyn can't, and Gillespie is a reliable number 8 bat in case that is required which Steyn isn't. Plus you rarely need five bowlers if you have two spinners. Worst come to worst, wasn't Younis a decent medium pacer back in the day? He'll do for a three or four over spell here and there.

 

[Chrish]

Hayden
Cook
Steve Smith
Younis Khan
Kallis
Sobers
A Flower
Swann
Steyn
Donald
Mcgrath