Harsh Thakor
First Class Star
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- Oct 1, 2012
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In sport evolution is a continuous trend and athletes improve performances with time.Athleticism has improved in cricket but not necessarily batting and bowling standards in test cricket.Comparison of all-time teams of two separate eras gives us a strong insight to this topic.Test cricket took a leap in the 1970's and 1990's but has had a decline in the last decade or 2 in my view.
Al-time test XI from 1969-93
Sunil Gavaskar
Barry Richards
Viv Richards
Greg Chappell
Alan Border/Javed Miandad
Gary Sobers
Imran Khan
Malcolm Marshall
Alan Knott
Abdul Qadir
Dennis Lillee
All-time test xi from 1994-2019
Virendra Sehwag
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Brian Lara
Sachin Tendulkar
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Wasim Akram
Curtly Ambrose /Dale Steyn
Glen Mcgrath
All-time test xi from 1877-1993
Jack Hobbs
Sunil Gavaskar
Don Bradman
Viv Richards
Walter Hammond
Garfield Sobers
Imran Khan
Alan Knott
Malcolm Marshall
Dennis Lillee
Jim Laker
I would back the all-time XI of 1994-2019 to win against the 1969-93 all-time XI by a mere whisker as it has more match-winning batsmen who were more explosive or imaginative and more crafty and versatile bowlers.No doubt statistically or technically 1969-93 team is better with the likes of Viv Richards Sobers,Gavaskar,Marshall,Lillee and Chappell but I feel the latter all-time team had the edge with the match-wining prowess of Gilchrist,Warne and Sehwag.In Lara and Tendulkar it has 2 of the best batsmen of all time while it's attack had every ingredient of a perfect one with the accuracy of Ambrose,the control of Mcgrath and the versatality and reverse swing of Wasim.The scoring rate also of 1994-2019 level was considerably faster.
It must be said that Sachin,Wasim ,Ambrose and Lara originated from the 1969-93 era with Wasim starting in 1985 ,Ambrose in 1988 Tendulkar debuting in 1989 and Lara in 1991 but their main impact was from the mid 90's .
It is touch and go between the 1877-1993 team and 1994-2019 teams but because of presence of Bradman and Sobers the former would have the marginal edge.This indicates the boost tset cricket gained from the 1990's to a height never reached with stalwarts like Tendulkar,Lara,Wasim,Mcgrath,Kallis,Warne and Gilchrist.
Al-time test XI from 1969-93
Sunil Gavaskar
Barry Richards
Viv Richards
Greg Chappell
Alan Border/Javed Miandad
Gary Sobers
Imran Khan
Malcolm Marshall
Alan Knott
Abdul Qadir
Dennis Lillee
All-time test xi from 1994-2019
Virendra Sehwag
Matthew Hayden
Ricky Ponting
Brian Lara
Sachin Tendulkar
Jacques Kallis
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Wasim Akram
Curtly Ambrose /Dale Steyn
Glen Mcgrath
All-time test xi from 1877-1993
Jack Hobbs
Sunil Gavaskar
Don Bradman
Viv Richards
Walter Hammond
Garfield Sobers
Imran Khan
Alan Knott
Malcolm Marshall
Dennis Lillee
Jim Laker
I would back the all-time XI of 1994-2019 to win against the 1969-93 all-time XI by a mere whisker as it has more match-winning batsmen who were more explosive or imaginative and more crafty and versatile bowlers.No doubt statistically or technically 1969-93 team is better with the likes of Viv Richards Sobers,Gavaskar,Marshall,Lillee and Chappell but I feel the latter all-time team had the edge with the match-wining prowess of Gilchrist,Warne and Sehwag.In Lara and Tendulkar it has 2 of the best batsmen of all time while it's attack had every ingredient of a perfect one with the accuracy of Ambrose,the control of Mcgrath and the versatality and reverse swing of Wasim.The scoring rate also of 1994-2019 level was considerably faster.
It must be said that Sachin,Wasim ,Ambrose and Lara originated from the 1969-93 era with Wasim starting in 1985 ,Ambrose in 1988 Tendulkar debuting in 1989 and Lara in 1991 but their main impact was from the mid 90's .
It is touch and go between the 1877-1993 team and 1994-2019 teams but because of presence of Bradman and Sobers the former would have the marginal edge.This indicates the boost tset cricket gained from the 1990's to a height never reached with stalwarts like Tendulkar,Lara,Wasim,Mcgrath,Kallis,Warne and Gilchrist.
