Which is the all-time best defensive XI in Test cricket to save a game?

[Harsh Thakor]

This is my selection of an all-time world xi to save a test or the best defensive team.Selected the best defensive batsmen and bowlers.



1.Sunil Gavaskar

2.Hanif Mohammad

3.Rahul Dravid

4.Jacques Kallis

5.Alan Border

6.Misbah-Ul Haq (C)

7.Kumar Sangakaara (W)

8.Richard Hadlee

9.Joel Garner

10.Curtly Ambrose

11.Glen Mcgrath



This would not be an easy batting line up to penetrate with masters in a crisis to ressurect a team posessing watertight defence.They could master bad wickets.The bowlers took accuracy and control to its highest zenith often unplayable to attack.Sunil and Hanif were simply unpenentratable boulders while Border,Misbah and Dravid were brilliant improvisers on bad wickets.Ambrose and Garner took accuracy to regions unequalled mastering the yorker while Hadlee and Mcgrath posessed control at a depth no quickie ever did.Kallis was the ultimate allrounder to bat for your life and could play a great role as a supporting bolwer with Alan Border .On a bad or deteriorating pitch this may beat a great side and match a team with the likes of Bradman,Sobers,Warne,Viv and Sachin.Harder to score of Hadlee, Mcgrath,Ambrose and Garner than Wasim,Marshall or Lillee and harder to dismiss likes of Border,Gavaskar,Hanif, Miandad and Kallis in situations than Viv.Lara,Sachin ,Sobers or Sehwag.Misbah Ul Haq would lead this team.





Geoff Boycott,Shivnaraine Chaderpaul,Len Hutton,Javed Miandad, Keith Atherton ,Bruce Reid,Steve Waugh and Ian Chappell just missed out.

 

[Bel_Homme]

Misbah?? No way...he was never that good blocker in test cricket.

You must include Jason Gillespie, the ultimate blocker. Also, Jimmy Adams (WI) was good.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Finally and all time XI where Misbah has an impact

Cook and Imran Khan are notable absence here.

 

[m.awais]

I would definitely include AB De Villiers in the XI

 

[Junaids]

I would pick 11 Trevor Baileys.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

I would definitely include AB De Villiers in the XI

Defensive?Exactly on the opposite pole.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Finally and all time XI where Misbah has an impact

Cook and Imran Khan are notable absence here.

Imran was not the most accurate of pacemen like those included but was a great defensive batsmen.

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

I would replace Misbah with Faf du Plessis. He played a couple of epic blockathons to secure draws for South Africa.

 

[Hitman]

Ken Barrington?

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

Defensive?Exactly on the opposite pole.

But he is capable of defending when required. Appreciate the genius.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Ken Barrington?

Very good choice.Almost there.Competitor to Dravid,Border or Misbah.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

I would replace Misbah with Faf du Plessis. He played a couple of epic blockathons to secure draws for South Africa.

good choice.appreciate.

 

[Robert]

This is my selection of an all-time world xi to save a test or the best defensive team.Selected the best defensive batsmen and bowlers.



1.Sunil Gavaskar

2.Hanif Mohammad

3.Rahul Dravid

4.Jacques Kallis

5.Alan Border

6.Misbah-Ul Haq (C)

7.Kumar Sangakaara (W)

8.Richard Hadlee

9.Joel Garner

10.Curtly Ambrose

11.Glen Mcgrath


.

Hadlee was a hitter. Imran is your all-rounder, he can block. Or Botham, who once batted a whole day against Pakistan for just fifty to secure a draw.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Hadlee was a hitter. Imran is your all-rounder, he can block. Or Botham, who once batted a whole day against Pakistan for just fifty to secure a draw.

I am taking Hadlee for his devastating accuracy with the ball.True Botham and Imran were better defensive batsmen.

 

[ak619]

I would definitely include AB De Villiers in the XI

Definitely! In fact even Faf played a marathon innings in Australia. Would definitely have either of those guys in the XI before I pick Misbah.

Fgs even Pujara is miles better than Misbah as a blocker.

 

[ak619]

OP why no spinner in your XI? Surely with bad/detoriating pitches, at least 1 spinner is a must.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

OP why no spinner in your XI? Surely with bad/detoriating pitches, at least 1 spinner is a must.

Good point.Somehow could not choose a great defensive spinner who would stop flow of runs.any suggestion?

 

[Hitman]

Good point.Somehow could not choose a great defensive spinner who would stop flow of runs.any suggestion?

Bapu Nadkarni.

 

[Forward Defensive Push]

Good point.Somehow could not choose a great defensive spinner who would stop flow of runs.any suggestion?

Bapu Nadkarni would suit the bill.

 

[Amjid Javed]

Faf duplesis
Mike Atherton
Jack Russell
Gary kirsten possibly.

should be considered!

 

[silentkiller187]

Misbah has enough on his plate and you want to give him another job . in all seriousness he got mocked for his tuk tuk defensive style on this forum but now we are compiling a tuk tuk xi he is not good enough for this, #ppLogic

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Bapu Nadkarni.

Thank you

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Bapu Nadkarni would suit the bill.

Good selection

 

[fawad_wellwisher]

If we are playing in Australia I wouldn't pick Misbah but someone else instead in his place.

Mohinder Amarnath should also be considered in this list.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

If we are playing in Australia I wouldn't pick Misbah but someone else instead in his place.

Mohinder Amarnath should also be considered in this list.

So true.Mohinder nearly there and at his best a certainty.

 

[Ab Fan]

Gavaskar
Cook
Dravid
Kallis
Border
Sangakkara (wkt)
Imran
Benaud
Garner
Ambrose
McGrath

Imran should be there as he is a solid defense batter and adds value as an all-rounder. Benaud has a good shot and I will go with him as the spinner. Kallis will be a sixth bowling option, which means he will be focussing more on his batting due to enough bowling options.

 

[Ab Fan]

Defensive?Exactly on the opposite pole.

de Villiers did well to develop his defense game but he is not a natural defense player and don't think he would make into these lists. The Adelaide inning was a good one but he eventually got out with over 40 more overs of play left.

 

[CadPakFan]

No Geoffrey Boycott?

 

[Harsh Thakor]

No Geoffrey Boycott?

Misses by a whisker to Hanif as he was selfish.Almost there.

 

[Harsh Thakor]

Gavaskar
Cook
Dravid
Kallis
Border
Sangakkara (wkt)
Imran
Benaud
Garner
Ambrose
McGrath

Imran should be there as he is a solid defense batter and adds value as an all-rounder. Benaud has a good shot and I will go with him as the spinner. Kallis will be a sixth bowling option, which means he will be focussing more on his batting due to enough bowling options.

Very good team well done. Liked my list?

 

[ak619]

Good point.Somehow could not choose a great defensive spinner who would stop flow of runs.any suggestion?

Not necessarily a purely defensive spinner but I would go with Bedi.

 

[happydavy]

No Michael Atherton?

 

[Aman]

BJ Watling > Sangakarra in this situation any day.

You can bring up countless match saving innings from BJ when NZ have looked beaten, can't think of one from Sanga.

 

[shah_1]

1. Gavaskar
2. Cook
3. Dravid
4. Kallis
5. Border
6. Boycott
7. Sangakkara (wkt)
8. Imran Khan
9. Jadeja
10. Richard hadlee
11. Shaun Pollock
    

Best way to save a test match is to have decent bowlers that can bat as well

Best line up ever

 

[Roaring40s]

Why not pick the GOAT blocker, Chris Tavare?

 

[Roaring40s]

Here are the reasons why Tavare was THE GOAT blocker.
How many of the mentioned batsmen can boast of a strike rate of 30 after 31 tests?
I have read somewhere that Tavare single-handedly depopularized the test cricket in 80s.
On average he played more than 100 balls before getting out.