All time captains XI versus non-captains XI - Who will win in Test cricket?

[Harsh Thakor]

Here I am pitting and selecting the all-time xi consisting of cricketers who have been captains versus the all-time xi comprising those who never led their country.

CAPTAINS XI
Sunil Gavaskar
Len Hutton
Don Bradman
Viv Richards
Sachin Tendulkar
Gary Sobers
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Kapil Dev/Ian Botham
Imran Khan
Wasim Akram
Bishen Bedi


NON CAPTAINS XI

Barry Richards
Virendra Sehwag
Graeme Pollock
Everton Weekes
Lawrence Rowe
Keith Miller
Adam Gilchrist
Richard Hadlee
Malcolm Marshall
Shane Warne
Dennis Lillee/Glen Mcgrath



Significant that almost all great batsmen have been skippers but almost no fast bowlers.Captains team has a much stronger batting team and all-rounders but non-captains team has a stronger bowling attack.Non captains XI is on par with Captains xi in terms of allrounders.Opening batsmen also on par.


I would back the Captains side to win with their great batting line up and match-winners.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Do come here pp viewers.Interesting debate. [MENTION=7774]Robert[/MENTION] [MENTION=133315]Hitman[/MENTION] [MENTION=79064]MMHS[/MENTION] [MENTION=132916]Junaids[/MENTION] [MENTION=139595]Ab Fan[/MENTION] [MENTION=538]bilal[/MENTION] @Freelance cricketer

 

[Robert]

Hobbs has got to play for the non-captains.

I think Hadlee skippered NZ once. Get Ambrose instead.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Hobbs has got to play for the non-captains.

I think Hadlee skippered NZ once. Get Ambrose instead.

Ok thanks.Who would win in your view?Agree with the teams otherwise?

 

[MMHS]

I presume it's a Test team and only non Test Captains are considered. In that regard, I think the non Captain team isn't complete - I see some glaring misses.

Just from memory, several names that come to mind are Vic Trumper, JB Hobbs, Herbert Sutcliffe, Clide Walcott, Syd Barnes, Fred Trumann, Allen Davidson, Ken Barrington, and how could you miss Mutthia Murali?

Also, both Gilley & Kallis has led Tests, therefore Gilly should make it over MS in the other team and Jaques should make it over Kapil/Botham spot. And, I'll definitely pick Richie Benaud for B$ Bedi and make him Captain for sure.

My non Test team will be

1. JB Hobbs
2. BA Richards
3. Vic Trumper
4. RG Pollock
5. CL Walcott (I'll take him over Weekes, whose career is inflated by bashing India of 1940s & early 50s)
6. KR Miller (VC)
7. AP Knott+
8. RJ Hadlee
9. MD Marshall
10. SK Warne (C)
11. DK Lillee/Muthia Muralitharan (depending on venue)

Traditionally, fast bowlers were not made Captain, neither WK, therefore the non Captain side will always be stronger in bowling. In that list, I have left several bowlers who are ATGs on their own right - McGrath, Ambrose, Truman, Barnes, Bill O'Reilley, C Grimmet, Subhash Gupte, Derek Underwood, Headley Verity, Mike Holding, Andy Roberts, RR Lindwall, Alec Bedsar......

Bowlers win Test matches and I don't think non Captain side is that weak in batting either. On man to man, the Captain side looks better on paper for their batting and all-round ability; but the non Captain side definitely has clear edge on bowling.

Tight series, may be 3-3 after 6 Tests, or 3-2 in favor of the Captains - their batting strength should bail them out of trouble at least in one Test.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

I presume it's a Test team and only non Test Captains are considered. In that regard, I think the non Captain team isn't complete - I see some glaring misses.

Just from memory, several names that come to mind are Vic Trumper, JB Hobbs, Herbert Sutcliffe, Clide Walcott, Syd Barnes, Fred Trumann, Allen Davidson, Ken Barrington, and how could you miss Mutthia Murali?

Also, both Gilley & Kallis has led Tests, therefore Gilly should make it over MS in the other team and Jaques should make it over Kapil/Botham spot. And, I'll definitely pick Richie Benaud for B$ Bedi and make him Captain for sure.

My non Test team will be

1. JB Hobbs
2. BA Richards
3. Vic Trumper
4. RG Pollock
5. CL Walcott (I'll take him over Weekes, whose career is inflated by bashing India of 1940s & early 50s)
6. KR Miller (VC)
7. AP Knott+
8. RJ Hadlee
9. MD Marshall
10. SK Warne (C)
11. DK Lillee/Muthia Muralitharan (depending on venue)

Traditionally, fast bowlers were not made Captain, neither WK, therefore the non Captain side will always be stronger in bowling. In that list, I have left several bowlers who are ATGs on their own right - McGrath, Ambrose, Truman, Barnes, Bill O'Reilley, C Grimmet, Subhash Gupte, Derek Underwood, Headley Verity, Mike Holding, Andy Roberts, RR Lindwall, Alec Bedsar......

Bowlers win Test matches and I don't think non Captain side is that weak in batting either. On man to man, the Captain side looks better on paper for their batting and all-round ability; but the non Captain side definitely has clear edge on bowling.

Tight series, may be 3-3 after 6 Tests, or 3-2 in favor of the Captains - their batting strength should bail them out of trouble at least in one Test.

Great answer sir very analytical Still I rank Bedi ahead of Benaud as a pure spinner.Anyway complements again.

 

[MMHS]

Great answer sir very analytical Still I rank Bedi ahead of Benaud as a pure spinner.Anyway complements again.

As pure bowler, B$B can be comparable to Benaud, though Richi's bowling stats is superior to BSB in almost every aspect - better average, better economy, better SR, more 5fors, best match & innings figure .... on top of that RB's stats in India is among all time best. But, you have to add 3 more aspects here -

1. The guy Richie Benaud is arguably the best ever Captain this game has seen.
2. RB is among the most under-rated batsmen ever - his average of 24.45 doesn't tell how good a batsman he was and he has scored probably the most valuable runs for a No. 9 in history. 3 hundreds & 8 fifties from ~100 innings actually indicates the capability. He was among the best ever gully fielders as well with brilliant hands - hardly you'll read RB dropping a catch and he is among very few with 1+ catch/Test, without being regular slip fielder, because he didn't drop anything that flew close to him.
3. In this team, you have Sir Gary - can't pick another SLAO spinner, who is inferior spinner to the leggi, and a genuine no. 10-11 (11, when Chandra wasn't playing ) and a fielder whom Captain would love to hide.

Can't take him man over RB, simply can't - before Warne, Benaud arguably made the AT Test 12 for many people (And he is my AT AUS Captain).