How many Pakistanis would make it into India’s current Test team?

[The_Odd_One]

Pakistan's #1 ranking after playing a long season in the UAE = Artificial, mediocre team will be exposed overseas

India's #1 ranking after playing a long season at home = Real deal, overseas record does not matter, at least they did not lose to SL at home

LOGIC!

 

[Thomaskutty]

Only Babar Azam and Azhar Ali would make it.

 

[ExplicitAI]

He is the same age as Abbas, with similar skills but more pace, and of course a lot more experience.

I don’t think he is going to lose his way like some Indian pacers of the past. He went through a rut in 2014-2015 but managed to bounce back.

I would happily swap him with Abbas. However, if Abbas was a few years younger, I would probably have agreed with you.

Bhuvi as a batsmen edges over Abbas overall.He average 28.42 Outside Subcontinent which is better than the likes of Dhawan and Pujara.Bhuvi is not great in Asia and rarely picked so Abbas might become better bowler.

I completely forgot about Bhuvi's batting ability, based on those factors I would say Bhuvi gets the nod ahead here. However, I don't think he's anywhere near Abbas as a bowler, of whom the latter gives the impression of a wily fox; judging how he got a county offer and his performances there most Test teams in the world would die to have a bowler of his ability. Still early days for anyone to say he's a world beater (which he isn't) but I think he's done impressively in the Tests he's played.

 

[Syed1]

This Indian batting line up desperately needs a Azhar Ali

 

[Canford Cliffs]

This Indian batting line up desperately needs a Azhar Ali

Lol no we dont. Yes we played poorly here in England but you are getting carried away here. We have a gun batting line up.

But yes would love few of your bowlers though...especially Amir who is absolute class.

 

[Stewie]

Aisey thread banatey hi kyon ho yaaro?

 

[coy0607]

This Indian batting line up desperately needs a Azhar Ali

I wouldn't say that

lets not forget that just 2 months ago Azhar had scores of 50, 4, 2, 11 in England.. It not like he demolished them

 

[zn426]

Look, Pakistan has done a good job winning in England.
I would argue that India's better record in SA, ENG, and AUS is because they tour their so regularly. Yet even with regular tours, they lost 2-1 the last time they went to SA (2017-2018), they lost 2-0 in Australia the last time they went there (2014-2015), and now they're down 1-0 in their latest tour in England (where they lost 3-1 the last time they toured in 2015). Maybe India comes back and wins this series, but right now it sure doesn't look like it.
The arguments that India is somehow a great Test team is based on winning mountains of matches against the likes of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Winning a solitary match here and there against England and South Africa looks more like an outlier rather than a team that

Here's the thing-Australia will come to UAE in October, and Pakistan will go to South Africa this December. If Pakistan whitewashes Australia (as they should) and wins at least one match in SA, will you be honest enough to admit they are India's equal? Because winning one match and losing the rest is exactly what India does on these away tours.

 

[ahmedwaqas92]

Look, Pakistan has done a good job winning in England.
I would argue that India's better record in SA, ENG, and AUS is because they tour their so regularly. Yet even with regular tours, they lost 2-1 the last time they went to SA (2017-2018), they lost 2-0 in Australia the last time they went there (2014-2015), and now they're down 1-0 in their latest tour in England (where they lost 3-1 the last time they toured in 2015). Maybe India comes back and wins this series, but right now it sure doesn't look like it.
The arguments that India is somehow a great Test team is based on winning mountains of matches against the likes of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Winning a solitary match here and there against England and South Africa looks more like an outlier rather than a team that

Here's the thing-Australia will come to UAE in October, and Pakistan will go to South Africa this December. If Pakistan whitewashes Australia (as they should) and wins at least one match in SA, will you be honest enough to admit they are India's equal? Because winning one match and losing the rest is exactly what India does on these away tours.

There is a greater chance of Hell Freezing than that happening my friend.

 

[msb314]

All the nonsense aside, if we are to compare a full strength Indian XI to a full strength Pakistan XI, this is how it will pan out:

Vijay vs Azhar - Vijay has been a better player than Azhar, and Azhar has been ordinary after his 2016-2017 purple patch. However, maybe Azhar just about gets the nod.

Rahul vs Imam - Rahul

Pujara vs Haris - Pujara

Kohli vs Babar - Kohli

Rahane vs Shafiq - Rahane

Saha vs Sarfraz - tie

This is a tough one. Saha is a brilliant wicket-keeper but a poor batsman, while Sarfraz is average in both departments.

On turning wickets, Saha brings more value with his superior keeping. On flat wickets, Sarfraz will score more. Hence a tie.

Pandya vs Fahim/Shadab - Pandya/Shadab

Pandya is better than than Fahim, but on spinning wickets, Shadab will bring more value.

Ashwin vs Yasir - Ashwin wins. Both are equally unplayable on turning wickets, but Ashwin has better control and scores a lot more runs.

Bhuvi vs Abbas - Bhuvi

Shami vs Amir - Shami

Bumrah vs Hassan - tough, but perhaps Hassan gets the nod because he is more well-rounded.

Conclusion:

India 7-2 Pakistan. Saha vs Sarfraz and Pandya vs Fahim/Shadab is a tie depending on conditions.

And this is why India is ranked 1 and Pakistan is ranked 7, and this is why India is better than Pakistan everywhere except Lord’s and Oval.

Maybe in a parallel universe only 2-3 Indian players get into our 7th ranked team, but this world does not exist in a parallel universe.

Sorry but not sure I agree here.

Shafiq is well known to be poor and incredibly inconsistent but not sure that Rahane is any better. Cannot even remember the last time he played in impactful knock. At the moment - Rahane seems to be winning the race to the bottom.

Also - there is no way Pandya is better than Fahim based on what we have seen so far. Yes - Fahim has played against easy opposition but Fahim's 50 against England at Lord's outshines any of Pandya's appearances at the Test level. Bowling wise they are probably the same. As of now - Pandya is likely to be the first to go and be dropped from the Indian team but Fahim will probably get a long rope at the Test level.

 

[msb314]

All the nonsense aside, if we are to compare a full strength Indian XI to a full strength Pakistan XI, this is how it will pan out:

Vijay vs Azhar - Vijay has been a better player than Azhar, and Azhar has been ordinary after his 2016-2017 purple patch. However, maybe Azhar just about gets the nod.

Rahul vs Imam - Rahul

Pujara vs Haris - Pujara

Kohli vs Babar - Kohli

Rahane vs Shafiq - Rahane

Saha vs Sarfraz - tie

This is a tough one. Saha is a brilliant wicket-keeper but a poor batsman, while Sarfraz is average in both departments.

On turning wickets, Saha brings more value with his superior keeping. On flat wickets, Sarfraz will score more. Hence a tie.

Pandya vs Fahim/Shadab - Pandya/Shadab

Pandya is better than than Fahim, but on spinning wickets, Shadab will bring more value.

Ashwin vs Yasir - Ashwin wins. Both are equally unplayable on turning wickets, but Ashwin has better control and scores a lot more runs.

Bhuvi vs Abbas - Bhuvi

Shami vs Amir - Shami

Bumrah vs Hassan - tough, but perhaps Hassan gets the nod because he is more well-rounded.

Conclusion:

India 7-2 Pakistan. Saha vs Sarfraz and Pandya vs Fahim/Shadab is a tie depending on conditions.

And this is why India is ranked 1 and Pakistan is ranked 7, and this is why India is better than Pakistan everywhere except Lord’s and Oval.

Maybe in a parallel universe only 2-3 Indian players get into our 7th ranked team, but this world does not exist in a parallel universe.

Also Rahul's career seems to be nosediving pretty fast and Haris is probably the better batsman at this time compared to Pujara - despte Haris' inability to convert starts (Pujara has been in poor form for several years now - his 2012/13 form seems like a distant memory now...)