Which nation has best all-time XI in this millennium?

[Ab Fan]

Let's compare the best test XI of teams in this millennium from 2000 onwards and find out the best one.

Australia

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
S Smith
S Waugh(c)
Clarke
Gilchrist (wkt)
Warne
Johnson
Cummins
McGrath

South Africa

Smith(c)
Kirsten
Amla
Kallis
ABD
Faf
Boucher(wkt)/de Kock
Pollock
Philander
Rabada
Steyn

India

Sehwag
Pujara
Dravid
Tendulkar
Kohli(c)
Dhoni(wkt)
Ashwin
Kumble
Zaheer
Ishant
Shami

England

Cook
Strauss
Vaughan (c)
KP
Root
Stokes
Prior(wkt)
Flintoff
Swann
Broad
Anderson

I think Australia takes this one quite easily as they have pretty much all the boxes ticked. South Africa follows next IMO with Smith the captain, Kallis and ABD also there along with the trio of Steyn, Rabada and Pollock but what they lack is a quality spinner.

India comes third as although the pace attack looks solid, it still doesn't stand a chance against McGrath and Warne's Australia and Steyn/Rabada/Pollock's South Africa. The batting is extraordinary and spin prospect is very solid in Kumble and Ashwin, a leg spinner and an off-spinner. England are a great team as well led by Vaughan and at their best, this team can win test series against Australia's or South Africa's best also.

Sri Lanka had a good 2000s while NZ had a better 10s. Pakistan overall has a good side as well with Inzy, Younis and Yousuf.

Discuss!

 

[Manunited18]

Australia followed by England

 

[tyron_woodley]

Let's compare the best test XI of teams in this millennium from 2000 onwards and find out the best one.

Australia

Hayden
Langer
Ponting
S Smith
S Waugh(c)
Clarke
Gilchrist (wkt)
Warne
Johnson
Cummins
McGrath

South Africa

Smith(c)
Kirsten
Amla
Kallis
ABD
Faf
Boucher(wkt)/de Kock
Pollock
Philander
Rabada
Steyn

India

Sehwag
Pujara
Dravid
Tendulkar
Kohli(c)
Dhoni(wkt)
Ashwin
Kumble
Zaheer
Ishant
Shami

England

Cook
Strauss
Vaughan (c)
KP
Root
Stokes
Prior(wkt)
Flintoff
Swann
Broad
Anderson

I think Australia takes this one quite easily as they have pretty much all the boxes ticked. South Africa follows next IMO with Smith the captain, Kallis and ABD also there along with the trio of Steyn, Rabada and Pollock but what they lack is a quality spinner.

India comes third as although the pace attack looks solid, it still doesn't stand a chance against McGrath and Warne's Australia and Steyn/Rabada/Pollock's South Africa. The batting is extraordinary and spin prospect is very solid in Kumble and Ashwin, a leg spinner and an off-spinner. England are a great team as well led by Vaughan and at their best, this team can win test series against Australia's or South Africa's best also.

Sri Lanka had a good 2000s while NZ had a better 10s. Pakistan overall has a good side as well with Inzy, Younis and Yousuf.

Discuss!

india would beat all 3 of them at home That's for sure.

south africa would travel the best and beat everyone except india away.

india will lose in England away and either draw or lose a close series vs south africa and australia away.

England will lose to all 3 away and win at home vs india. draw vs the other 2 or lose.

australia will lose to india away and draw in south africa. they will beat England home and away. draw or win at home vs india. lose to south africa at home. South Africa at their best just know how to win in australia for some reason.

South Africa would lose to india away. win vs australia away and draw at home. win or draw vs india at home. win at home vs englsnd and draw away.


South Africa or india number 1
australia number 2
England number 3

 

[tyron_woodley]

why would ashwin and kumble play and lol at zaheer over bumrah.

ashwin and laxman instead of kumble. one spinner is enough.

bowling will be shami, bumrah and ishant. with bhuvi for away tours to be an extra bowling all rounder over kumble

 

[hitthestump]

Pakistan

Anwar
?
Younis
Inzi
Yousuf
Babar
Latif
Wasim (c)
Saqlain
Asif
Shoaib

Pakistan have undoubtedly managed to sneak in the best bowling attack in this millennium, all bases are covered particularly if Afridi is including in the vacant opener spot as a legspin option. Batting is also extremely solid and has been an underrated feature of Pakistan cricket. Not sure if they're as good as Australia but certainly right up there as one of the best and would be the most feared teams given the sheer amount of matchwinners.

 

[tyron_woodley]

Pakistan

Anwar
?
Younis
Inzi
Yousuf
Babar
Latif
Wasim (c)
Saqlain
Asif
Shoaib

Pakistan have undoubtedly managed to sneak in the best bowling attack in this millennium, all bases are covered particularly if Afridi is including in the vacant opener spot as a legspin option. Batting is also extremely solid and has been an underrated feature of Pakistan cricket. Not sure if they're as good as Australia but certainly right up there as one of the best and would be the most feared teams given the sheer amount of matchwinners.

declining wasim in 2000 era. shoaib not good enough. asif is a cheater and he played very little games. batting is indeed strong. they would be 4th or 5th best.

 

[Bigboii]

4th Sri Lanka and 5th could be pak

 

[therealAB]

Steve Waugh was pretty average in this millenium but can easily replaced by Hussey

Kirsten likewise struggles for me based purely on performances since 2000. Could be replaced by Gibbs maybe

In general like the teams and agree with the order Aus > SA > Ind > Eng

 

[therealAB]

How is Wasim, Saqlain, Asif, Shoaib better than McGrath, Warne, Johnson, Cummins since 2000. Gillespie can even be included for Johnson making Aus attack even stronger, as he still played more games than many members of the Pak attack.

Eng attack also better, Swann > Saqlain, Jimmy > Wasim within 2000's, Broad > Shoaib due to significantly better durability and as such value to team and Flintoff is close to Asif. Stokes also in there.

South Africa also obviously better attack.

Oops replying to post 5

 

[tyron_woodley]

Steve Waugh was pretty average in this millenium but can easily replaced by Hussey

Kirsten likewise struggles for me based purely on performances since 2000. Could be replaced by Gibbs maybe

In general like the teams and agree with the order Aus > SA > Ind > Eng

No one is beating india at home. no one except south africa can beat australia away.

so in terms of overall wins I see the following;

1) south africa or india
2) australia/india
3) England
4) pakistan

remember that indian team only missed world class bowlers and with bumrah plus shami and zaheer/ishant it's perfect.

south africa vs india vs australia will be the decider. the strongest at home are india and australia. However south africa under smith were the best travelling team and they beat a top Australian side in 08.

 

[Ab Fan]

India will be smashed by this Australian side in Australia. Look at that Australian lineup. Australia may lose to India in India but it will be competitive.

Bumrah has played only 12 tests, so doesn't make it.Let him get to 100 wickets. Shami, Zaheer and Ishant, that's it. Quality bowlers but none of them an ATG.

 

[Ab Fan]

india would beat all 3 of them at home That's for sure.

south africa would travel the best and beat everyone except india away.

india will lose in England away and either draw or lose a close series vs south africa and australia away.

England will lose to all 3 away and win at home vs india. draw vs the other 2 or lose.

australia will lose to india away and draw in south africa. they will beat England home and away. draw or win at home vs india. lose to south africa at home. South Africa at their best just know how to win in australia for some reason.

South Africa would lose to india away. win vs australia away and draw at home. win or draw vs india at home. win at home vs englsnd and draw away.


South Africa or india number 1
australia number 2
England number 3

Lol, Australia has Ponting, Smith, Waugh, Gilchrist, McGrath, Warne and Cummins. They are undoubtedly no 1 team. SA never defeated a top Australian side, they won when McGrath and Warne had retired.

 

[tyron_woodley]

India will be smashed by this Australian side in Australia. Look at that Australian lineup. Australia may lose to India in India but it will be competitive.

Bumrah has played only 12 tests, so doesn't make it.Let him get to 100 wickets. Shami, Zaheer and Ishant, that's it. Quality bowlers but none of them an ATG.

I highly doubt they would smash india in australia. it will be a competitive loss or a draw.

india will smash them at home though. make no mistake about that. 100% phainta.

I don't care about wickets. I care about ability. bumrah has special ability. he is a generational player.

 

[Hyperion66]

Australia.

 

[Ab Fan]

NZ team in this millennium

Fleming
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum
Cairns
Watling (wkt)
Vettori
Southee
Bond
Boult

Pakistan

Anwar
Azhar
Younis
Inzamam
Yousuf
Misbah(c)
Razzaq
Wasim
Asif
Saqlain
Akhtar

Sri Lanka

Jayasuriya
Atapattu
Sangakkara (wkt)
Jayawardene
Samaraweera
Dilshan
Mathews
Vaas
Herath
Murali
Malinga

 

[Justcrazy]

Australia would win , they have all bases covered.

 

[Pakistanian]

NZ team in this millennium

Fleming
Latham
Williamson
Taylor
McCullum
Cairns
Watling (wkt)
Vettori
Southee
Bond
Boult

Pakistan

Anwar
Azhar
Younis
Inzamam
Yousuf
Misbah(c)
Razzaq
Wasim
Asif
Saqlain
Akhtar

Sri Lanka

Jayasuriya
Atapattu
Sangakkara (wkt)
Jayawardene
Samaraweera
Dilshan
Mathews
Vaas
Herath
Murali
Malinga

Younus Khan is too slow, I'd replace him with Shoaib Malik - he's more athletic, a great fielder, is a decent bowler and more importantly he has an excellent batting record against India. I'd also replace Yousuf with Hafeez, while the former is a legend he's just too slow and unathletic and brings no other utility to the team. Or we could keep Yousuf and discard Misbah, Akram would be the de facto captain anyways.

 

[Aman]

Aus won 3 WCs and one CT in this time and dominated Test cricket.

This thread isn't necessary as the answer is obvious.

Aus are the GOAT cricket nation.

 

[Hitman]

Aus won 3 WCs and one CT in this time and dominated Test cricket.

This thread isn't necessary as the answer is obvious.

Aus are the GOAT cricket nation.

Don't think anyone with an ounce of sanity will disagree with that.

 

[Last Monetarist]

Anyone not picking the Australian team as the best of the last two decades is either an attention seeking troll or simply an imbecile.

 

[Ab Fan]

Younus Khan is too slow, I'd replace him with Shoaib Malik - he's more athletic, a great fielder, is a decent bowler and more importantly he has an excellent batting record against India. I'd also replace Yousuf with Hafeez, while the former is a legend he's just too slow and unathletic and brings no other utility to the team. Or we could keep Yousuf and discard Misbah, Akram would be the de facto captain anyways.

Younis is slow?? He is an excellent slip catcher and a brilliant player. This is not a T20 playing XI. If you include malik and Hafeez in place of Younis and Yousuf, this team will end up to the level of WI or BD.

 

[Ab Fan]

Aus won 3 WCs and one CT in this time and dominated Test cricket.

This thread isn't necessary as the answer is obvious.

Aus are the GOAT cricket nation.

Maybe but the order looks interesting with South Africa, India and England being very good in both decades.

 

[tyron_woodley]

Australia may be the best on paper but I don't see them beating india in india even at their peak. I can however see them beating south africa and England away.

india with their best players at their peak can give australia a tough fight.

1) australia
2) india or south africa. possibly india
3) England.

England for 2 years was extremely powerful but their peak was short lived. They still lost to Sri Lanka and Pakistan at their best hence why I don't rate them as high as the other 3 teams.