All time best ODI team

[BlueBee]

However when it comes to Kapil. Stats really matter a lot. He has a average of 24, now that's bad.

[Ranjha]

Yuvraj ahead of Dhoni?

Yes. Gilchrist will be the keeper. Yuvraj is a big tournament player ( preference given to players who perform in worldcups) and prefer his style of playing to keep the momentum going rather than playing the gamble of leaving it to the last. Also need his spin bowling in my team composition.

[Ranjha]

I would have a Holding/ Donald/ Waqar in place of Imran. Rest looks awesome. I just can't stop looking at that batting line-up; it's so jaw-dropping! :two_thumbs_up:

You are right. I think I had one all rounder extra in my team. So here is my modified team with Waqar in for Imran. Gilchrist Tendulkar Viv Richards Ponting DeVilliers Yuvraj Klusener Akram Warne Waqar McGrath Give me a team which will beat these guys.

[nic007]

Gilchrist's average is 35 in ODI's. That's pretty p*** poor for an opening bat to make a best ever world side. Just take as comparison Herschelle Gibbs (who I won't nominate to be even close to a best ever ODI side) who has an average of 36 and was just as destructive as opening batsman. So Gilchrist's inclusion does not make sense when you can have as destructive batsmen/wicketkeepers like Dhoni and De Villiers down the order both who have huge batting averages. Hayden with an average of nearly 50 will be a much better choice as an attacking/destructive opening batsman.

[Ranjha]

Gilchrist's average is 35 in ODI's. That's pretty p*** poor for an opening bat to make a best ever world side. Just take as comparison Herschelle Gibbs (who I won't nominate to be even close to a best ever ODI side) who has an average of 36 and was just as destructive as opening batsman. So Gilchrist's inclusion does not make sense when you can have as destructive batsmen/wicketkeepers like Dhoni and De Villiers down the order both who have huge batting averages. Hayden with an average of nearly 50 will be a much better choice as an attacking/destructive opening batsman.

Importance is given to worldcup knocks. And for me ABDV is also in the team but not as a keeper. Dhoni has one good final knock in the entire history of worldcup. Strike rate of 97 at the top and he keeps. Fits perfectly in my dream team. I am not choosing 11 best individuals. I am choosing the best team of 11 individuals.

[express bowling]

However when it comes to Kapil. Stats really matter a lot. He has a average of 24' date=' now that's bad.[/quote'] When Kapil was playing ODIs, between 1978 to 1994, ODI totals were very low compared to now and people batted very slowly. Even the top quality lower order batsmen had low averages, like Botham 23 Imran. 33 Hadlee. 21 Dujon. 23 Even some renowned top order batsmen had averages like Steve Waugh. 32 Allan Border. 30 David Gower. 30 Gooch. 36 Richardson. 33 Aravinda. 34 Ranatunga. 35 BUT Kapil had a strike rate of 95 in ODIs even in those days of strokeless bats and slow batting... Some ODI strike rates of that era for comparison purpose Greenidge. 64 Haynes. 62 Richardson 63 Richards. 90 Dean Jones 72 Border. 71 Waugh. 75 Miadad. 67 Imran. 72 Botham. 79 Gooch. 61 Gower. 75 Hadlee. 75 Arvinda. 81 Ranatunga 77 Shows what a strokemaker Kapil was.

[midge]

True' date=' the ATGs had to deal with the rigours of cricket over a decade or more, injuries and family issues etc etc, Faulkner is in his honeymoon period ATM, but he's as promising as they come IMO.[/quote'] Agree with you completely.

[midge]

I can't be bothered listing my team again (as I'd have to look it up)' date=' but I had a few surprises, I had Hadlee in my team along with Flintoff and McGrath missed out for Akram.[/quote'] No issues. Even the three you mentioned here should make you happy :)

[midge]

Tendulkar Gilly Sanga Kallis ABD Dhoni Klusner Wasim Mcgrath Warne Starc

I see only Starc not making that list, purely because he is yet to prove himself over a long period of time like other greats. Rest is awesome! If I were to replace him, my pick would be Donald/ Ambrose.

[midge]

According to Wiki' date=' Ponting's ODI average is only 42. There are/were better players in that format of the game[/quote'] He is the best ODI captain the game has ever seen; won 165 games far ahead of 107 by Border; among the top 2-3 fielders & one of the most attacking batsman the game has ever seen. At No. 3, he serves the purpose perfectly.

[thongale]

You are right. I think I had one all rounder extra in my team. So here is my modified team with Waqar in for Imran. Gilchrist Tendulkar Viv Richards Ponting DeVilliers Yuvraj Klusener Akram Warne Waqar McGrath Give me a team which will beat these guys.

OK. This team will give you a run for the money. The whole line up is susceptible against quality spin. And I will select some lefties to bash Warne. Brian Lara Sanath Jayasuriya Jaques Kallis Dean Jones Michael Hussey Andrew Symonds MS Dhoni Richard Hadlee Saqlain Mushtaq Muralitharan Joel Garner Ok here it is. Lara was a very good opener. And other than for Tendulkar, Murali and Saqlain are going to run circles around that middle order. And I selected two of the craftiest bowlers against best batsmen of the game, in Hadlee and Garner. Kallis and Jayasuriya will give quality 5th bowling option.

[midge]

You are right. I think I had one all rounder extra in my team. So here is my modified team with Waqar in for Imran. Gilchrist Tendulkar Viv Richards Ponting DeVilliers Yuvraj Klusener Akram Warne Waqar McGrath Give me a team which will beat these guys.

:hatsoff: I see nobody beating these guys. There is batting depth till No. 9; 4 top of the top fielders in Viv, Yuvi, AB & Ponting; a charismatic keeper in Gilly; an unplayable bowling line-up boasting Pigeon, the two Ws, and the spin wizard Warne. I guess, they will remain undefeated for ever :haha:

[thongale]

:hatsoff: I see nobody beating these guys. There is batting depth till No. 9; 4 top of the top fielders in Viv' date=' Yuvi, AB & Ponting; a charismatic keeper in Gilly; an unplayable bowling line-up boasting Pigeon, the two Ws, and the spin wizard Warne. I guess, they will remain undefeated for ever :haha:[/quote']Unfortunately there are two more spin wizards who are leaps and bounds ahead of Warne in ODIs. For some reason that whole lineup looks collapsible against spin other than for Tendulkar.

[midge]

Unfortunately there are two more spin wizards who are leaps and bounds ahead of Warne in ODIs. For some reason that whole lineup looks collapsible against spin other than for Tendulkar.

:hmmm:AB is currently the best player of spin in the world, Viv was the greatest ODI player ever, Ponting was also good at playing spin, else he would not be the best player of the decade (2000-2010), Yuvraj & Gilly were reasonable against spin. I think if six players in a team can handle spin well, there is no need to worry.

[thongale]

:hmmm:AB is currently the best player of spin in the world' date=' Viv was the greatest ODI player ever, Ponting was also good at playing spin, else he would not be the best player of the decade (2000-2010), Yuvraj & Gilly were reasonable against spin. I think if six players in a team can handle spin well, there is no need to worry.[/quote']Viv was not a good player of spin. He was damn lucky not to face ODI spin legends. The only quality spinner he faced in ODIs was Qadir and he struggled big time against him in ODIs. Don't remember AB playing well against Murali at any satge of his career. Agree on Ponting, but once more playing spin was not his forte. Yuvraj was a sitting duck against quality spin. He was made look foolish by even a crap spinner like Dave Mohammed. So I selected horses for courses. Even for batsmen, I selected two players who played Wasim and Waqar with absolute disdain when they are on form.

[nic007]

He is the best ODI captain the game has ever seen; won 165 games far ahead of 107 by Border; among the top 2-3 fielders & one of the most attacking batsman the game has ever seen. At No. 3' date=' he serves the purpose perfectly.[/quote'] I do have Ponting in my team (also Kallis), I was just a bit surprised at his relatively low average compared to others. If I were to be pushed to make a choice between Ponting and Kallis though, I would chose Kallis everytime. I disagree with you that he was "one of the most attacking batsman the game has ever seen". What is his strike rate?

[Raghav_12]

Sachin, Viv Richards, ABDV, Gilchrist, Wasim, Warne are must. Rest 5 positions you can play around with.

[midge]

Viv was not a good player of spin. He was damn lucky not to face ODI spin legends. The only quality spinner he faced in ODIs was Qadir and he struggled big time against him in ODIs. Don't remember AB playing well against Murali at any satge of his career. Agree on Ponting, but once more playing spin was not his forte. Yuvraj was a sitting duck against quality spin. He was made look foolish by even a crap spinner like Dave Mohammed. So I selected horses for courses. Even for batsmen, I selected two players who played Wasim and Waqar with absolute disdain when they are on form.

In his 43 innings in Asia, on spin friendly tracks, Viv scored 1669 runs at an avg. of 45.10, with a strike rate of 103.92. This included 3 centuries, 9 half-centuries and a best of 181. Any Asian team in those days normally used to have a couple at least a couple of spinners. For India, most of the times spinners used to bowl more overs than the quicks. Just goes to show, how good he was in all conditions, against all types of attacks. He had such a good eye, footwork and timing that I doubt he would have faired differently against any of the spin legends. As for AB how many matches did he play against Murali and how much he scored on each occasion for you to arrive at that conclusion? Ponting again has scored more than 3100 runs in Asia which includes 6 centuries and 19 fifties, and he played against all the spin legends. Doesn't give the impression that he struggled. Yuvi was decent, sometime he did well, at other times he wasn't successful. That doesn't mean he is a misfit in the team. No opposition/ bowler is going to breathe easy when he is at the crease.

[midge]

I do have Ponting in my team (also Kallis)' date=' I was just a bit surprised at his relatively low average compared to others. If I were to be pushed to make a choice between Ponting and Kallis though, I would chose Kallis everytime. I disagree with you that he was "one of the most attacking batsman the game has ever seen". What is his strike rate?[/quote'] Well, if someone has played 375 games, and retires with an avg. of 42.03 ,that's pretty good. Considering that he used to bat at No. 3 where a player is supposed to build an inning and prepare a platform for others to play their shots in the last 10 overs, his strike rate of 80.39 is quite high. People like Sehwag, Afridi and Dhoni who have a strike rate of 90 plus either were openers or used to bat late in the innings when you have the license to go hard at the bowling. But at No. 3, you need to have your best man. Someone who can hold the innings and bat right through the end. He should have the ability to absorb the pressure in case wickets have fallen early, launch a counter attack to disrupt the opposition's plans, and capitalize on a good start. In each of these situations Ponting was remarkable. His ability to counter attack the opposition, especially after the loss of early wickets was remarkable. The fact that he scored 30 centuries and 82 fifties only validates how successfully he played his part. Kallis also is a good choice, but in terms of flair, Ponting has the edge.

[midge]

Sachin' date=' Viv Richards, ABDV, Gilchrist, Wasim, Warne are must. Rest 5 positions you can play around with.[/quote'] Cool!