Test team of the decade (2010-2019)

[Mamoon]

Last decade:

Cook captained 59 tests - won 24 - lost 22 - W/L 1.09

Kohli captained 53 tests - won 33 - lost 10 - W/L of 3.3

Since both have captained 50-60 tests in decade, sample size is comparable, but result is not comparable. I won't directly take result in same porportion to judge captain, but if you take results then it's extremely lopsided.

Exactly. Cook achieved quite a few highs as Test captain (India, Ashes 2015, South Africa) but he lost plenty of matches to weaker opponents which is why his overall record was patchy.

24 wins and 22 losses is not good enough for a top side and it is not surprising that he was relieved of his duties. Unfortunately for England, his successor is worse.

 

[Mean&Green]

I am sorry but the only denial is on your part because you simply cannot digest the fact that Kohli is the greatest cricketer of this decade and also the greatest Test captain of this decade.

To be the best in a decade, you do not have to do it for all 10 years. For example, 5 incredible years are way better than 10 decent years.

Let’s take a hypothetical example - player A makes his debut in 2020 and averages 60 over the next 10 years.

Player A makes his debut in 2025 and averages 100 over the next 5 years.

At the end of 2029, who would you call the better player of the decade? I hope I don’t have to spell the answer for you.

Now let me put your feeble argument to bed once and for all.

Cook become the English captain on 29 August 2012 and was removed as Test captain on 6 February 2017.

That means that he was the captain for 4 years and 5 months.

So how does Cook qualify for the Test captain of the decade based on your definition of “decade” that you googled?

In comparison, Kohli took over as Test captain on 6 January 2015 and he is still the captain today, so he has led the team for 4 years and 11 months.

So in conclusion, Kohli has led India for a longer period in this decade than Cook has led England.

Now once again, please explain how Cook is more qualified to be the Test captain of the decade based on the definition of “decade” that you googled.

Now who is in complete denial “ahaha”?

I am sorry for dropping a nuclear bomb on your argument but you forced my hand. I might be a tired old horse and past my prime but please don’t take me on with weak arguments.

Again you are writing essays. The decade started with Cook captaining an English side who wasn’t very strong yet infact South Africa were the strongest test side at that time. Beating India in India was considered as hard as it is now they had a good team too. The teams kohlis been beating and bullying at home we’re absolutely below par lol if you compare the South African side that cook beat and the South African side kohli lost to in South Africa and demoslished at home would tell you the difference between why wisden choose Sir Alaistair Cook as the test captain of the decade and not kohli good bye buddy now don’t come and write another essay.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Kohli has his own flaws as captain But i gotta say Cook was remotely an aggressive captain. I am not sure i have seen an aggressive English captain in Tests May be Morgan in the one dayers. Generally English captains tend to be defensive. Be it is Nasser Hussain or Vaughan or Cook or Root. Kohli over a period has gotten better tactically But he made blunders as well. one thing i like about him he goes after wins He gives utmost importance to pace bowlers.

 

[MP2011]

Generally English captains tend to be defensive. Be it is Nasser Hussain or Vaughan or Cook or Root.

I think KP was quite aggressive as test captain. Pity, he was sacked by ECB over a petty reason.

 

[Sidilicious]

Again you are writing essays. The decade started with Cook captaining an English side who wasn’t very strong yet infact South Africa were the strongest test side at that time. Beating India in India was considered as hard as it is now they had a good team too. The teams kohlis been beating and bullying at home we’re absolutely below par lol if you compare the South African side that cook beat and the South African side kohli lost to in South Africa and demoslished at home would tell you the difference between why wisden choose Sir Alaistair Cook as the test captain of the decade and not kohli good bye buddy now don’t come and write another essay.

Wasn’t Strauss the captain of the side when they toured SA in 2010?

 

[Sidilicious]

Again you are writing essays. The decade started with Cook captaining an English side who wasn’t very strong yet infact South Africa were the strongest test side at that time. Beating India in India was considered as hard as it is now they had a good team too. The teams kohlis been beating and bullying at home we’re absolutely below par lol if you compare the South African side that cook beat and the South African side kohli lost to in South Africa and demoslished at home would tell you the difference between why wisden choose Sir Alaistair Cook as the test captain of the decade and not kohli good bye buddy now don’t come and write another essay.

Wasn’t Strauss the captain of the side when they toured SA in 2010?

Also, apart from 1 victory in India, Cook’s side had a pretty poor record in Asia.

His overall W/L record is 1.1 which is extremely inferior to Kohli’s.

 

[Mamoon]

Again you are writing essays. The decade started with Cook captaining an English side who wasn’t very strong yet infact South Africa were the strongest test side at that time. Beating India in India was considered as hard as it is now they had a good team too. The teams kohlis been beating and bullying at home we’re absolutely below par lol if you compare the South African side that cook beat and the South African side kohli lost to in South Africa and demoslished at home would tell you the difference between why wisden choose Sir Alaistair Cook as the test captain of the decade and not kohli good bye buddy now don’t come and write another essay.

I appreciate the fact that you still mustered the courage to reply after my last post completely obliterated your argument.

Now your claim is that “the decade started with Cook captaining an English side who wasn’t very strong.”

But again you are completely and utterly wrong. Cook took over from Strauss as Test captain in August 2012. Did the decade start in 2010 or 2012?

And again, how does Cook qualify for the captain of the decade (based on your Google definition) when he has captained his team for a shorter period than Kohli has? Are you even listening to yourself? I am starting to feel sorry for you now.

Cook also faced below par teams at home and would lose a Test or two in nearly every series which is why he was removed as captain.

Don’t hide behind Wisden’s opinion now. Wisden has also chosen Tendulkar as a far greater cricketer than Imran. Would you agree with them?

Secondly, if Cook is the greatest Test captain of this decade, why did ECB sack him in 2017?

 

[Mean&Green]

I appreciate the fact that you still mustered the courage to reply after my last post completely obliterated your argument.

Now your claim is that “the decade started with Cook captaining an English side who wasn’t very strong.”

But again you are completely and utterly wrong. Cook took over from Strauss as Test captain in August 2012. Did the decade start in 2010 or 2012?

And again, how does Cook qualify for the captain of the decade (based on your Google definition) when he has captained his team for a shorter period than Kohli has? Are you even listening to yourself? I am starting to feel sorry for you now.

Cook also faced below par teams at home and would lose a Test or two in nearly every series which is why he was removed as captain.

Don’t hide behind Wisden’s opinion now. Wisden has also chosen Tendulkar as a far greater cricketer than Imran. Would you agree with them?

Secondly, if Cook is the greatest Test captain of this decade, why did ECB sack him in 2017?

Yeah I do agree with them tendulkar is a greater cricketer than Imran without a doubt. He rode the hopes of a billion on his little shoulders that would make him the greatest cricketer ever actually despite if we talk about numbers he would topple Imran. Also I never said kohli is not the greatest player of this decade I don’t know where you got that from he is the best player of this decade. He is not the best captain at all kohli is yet to win in South Africa and England so when he does ur argument will become valid well you would have already been proven wrong since he would have done it in a different decade. Cook was the captain of this decade without a doubt had kohli won in England and Africa he would have simple.

 

[therealAB]

Yeah I do agree with them tendulkar is a greater cricketer than Imran without a doubt. He rode the hopes of a billion on his little shoulders that would make him the greatest cricketer ever actually despite if we talk about numbers he would topple Imran. Also I never said kohli is not the greatest player of this decade I don’t know where you got that from he is the best player of this decade. He is not the best captain at all kohli is yet to win in South Africa and England so when he does ur argument will become valid well you would have already been proven wrong since he would have done it in a different decade. Cook was the captain of this decade without a doubt had kohli won in England and Africa he would have simple.

Cook's greatest success as captain, his win over India, came with a team that in essence was Strauss' team. A great captain takes a team and makes it better and Cook did the opposite. He ran his team down to the degree that he lost 5 - 0 to Australia, with a similar line up that had beaten Australia 3 years early.
A team of
Cook
Carberry
Root / Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Stokes
Prior
Swann
Broad
Anderson
Tremlett / Finn
, should not be beaten so comprehensively if the captain was good.

He also failed to keep control of the major ego's in his team. KP had a large ego but Strauss, a better captain in every way, had kept this in control but Cook didn't, resulting in a great batsmen being lost.

I don't rate Kohli as a great captain (slightly below Ponting level) and in the 2000's I would put Fleming, Smith, Ponting ahead of him but for me only Holder stands above him as a test captain, who is not getting selected in the decade XI.

 

[MenInG]

Any team of the decade must include SRT and Virat - rest are all moot.

 

[hadi123]

Any team of the decade must include SRT and Virat - rest are all moot.

Virat Kohli sure but why SRT? He retired in 2013 and was reaching the end of his career in this decade...

I seriously doubt your cricketing knowledge at times

 

[Mean&Green]

Cook's greatest success as captain, his win over India, came with a team that in essence was Strauss' team. A great captain takes a team and makes it better and Cook did the opposite. He ran his team down to the degree that he lost 5 - 0 to Australia, with a similar line up that had beaten Australia 3 years early.
A team of
Cook
Carberry
Root / Trott
Pietersen
Bell
Stokes
Prior
Swann
Broad
Anderson
Tremlett / Finn
, should not be beaten so comprehensively if the captain was good.

He also failed to keep control of the major ego's in his team. KP had a large ego but Strauss, a better captain in every way, had kept this in control but Cook didn't, resulting in a great batsmen being lost.

I don't rate Kohli as a great captain (slightly below Ponting level) and in the 2000's I would put Fleming, Smith, Ponting ahead of him but for me only Holder stands above him as a test captain, who is not getting selected in the decade XI.

Even most Indians don’t even consider kohli the best test captain of the decade yet here we have mamoon calling him the best soon he will call him the greatest captain ever 5 years later even if he doesn’t win anything in the next 5 years because automatically he’s mamoons golden boy and he can do no wrong he will always be the best ever for him.

 

[Manunited18]

I appreciate the fact that you still mustered the courage to reply after my last post completely obliterated your argument.

Now your claim is that “the decade started with Cook captaining an English side who wasn’t very strong.”

But again you are completely and utterly wrong. Cook took over from Strauss as Test captain in August 2012. Did the decade start in 2010 or 2012?

And again, how does Cook qualify for the captain of the decade (based on your Google definition) when he has captained his team for a shorter period than Kohli has? Are you even listening to yourself? I am starting to feel sorry for you now.

Cook also faced below par teams at home and would lose a Test or two in nearly every series which is why he was removed as captain.

Don’t hide behind Wisden’s opinion now. Wisden has also chosen Tendulkar as a far greater cricketer than Imran. Would you agree with them?

Secondly, if Cook is the greatest Test captain of this decade, why did ECB sack him in 2017?

Sir alister cook captain of the decade and imran khan the greatest cricketer Asia has ever produced, period.

 

[Hitman]

Sir alister cook captain of the decade and imran khan the greatest cricketer Asia has ever produced, period.

Excellent reply with excellent well detailed points.

 

[Hitman]

Virat Kohli sure but why SRT? He retired in 2013 and was reaching the end of his career in this decade...

I seriously doubt your cricketing knowledge at times

Sarcasm.

 

[Mamoon]

Even most Indians don’t even consider kohli the best test captain of the decade yet here we have mamoon calling him the best soon he will call him the greatest captain ever 5 years later even if he doesn’t win anything in the next 5 years because automatically he’s mamoons golden boy and he can do no wrong he will always be the best ever for him.

If Kohli continues on this path for another 5 years, overtakes G. Smith as the most prolific Test captain, helps India maintain the number 1 ranking for another 3-4 years, there will be no doubt over his status as the GOAT Test captain.

He has already done enough to be considered the GOAT Asian Test captain and he has absolutely no competition as far as the best Test captain of the decade award is concerned.

 

[MenInG]

Virat Kohli sure but why SRT? He retired in 2013 and was reaching the end of his career in this decade...

I seriously doubt your cricketing knowledge at times

Dont get so excited every time you read my posts - it was a joke for some of our friends - ones with brains got the first time.

 

[tyron_woodley]

If Kohli continues on this path for another 5 years, overtakes G. Smith as the most prolific Test captain, helps India maintain the number 1 ranking for another 3-4 years, there will be no doubt over his status as the GOAT Test captain.

He has already done enough to be considered the GOAT Asian Test captain and he has absolutely no competition as far as the best Test captain of the decade award is concerned.

people also forget that kohli is one month or 2 at best away from eclipsing Smith's record of dominance as a number 1 team. 1 more year will make his team number 3 in the all time great list. hell just drawing or losing a close fought series vs australia and drawing vs n.z away is enough to put them on par with the great Australian side of 2000. winning in england away or australia again would make his the GOAT captain of the GOAT team of all time.

so as a minimum draw vs n.z
draw or lose 2-1 max to australia
win away vs England.

that's enough to seal the number 2 spot.

Even great aussie team of 2000 never beat India, pakistan at full strength. So kohli doesn't need to achieve that feat either. Just needs to match it.

 

[therealAB]

Even most Indians don’t even consider kohli the best test captain of the decade yet here we have mamoon calling him the best soon he will call him the greatest captain ever 5 years later even if he doesn’t win anything in the next 5 years because automatically he’s mamoons golden boy and he can do no wrong he will always be the best ever for him.

This post does nothing to counter my arguments. Stop crying and try to put a cohesive thought about, or I will have to attribute your support of Cook to an anti - Indian bias