Who would you bring back from retirement?

[Coronis]

Australia - Border at #5
England - Hutton to open
India - Gavaskar at #5
NZ - Hadlee at #8
Pakistan - Imran at #7
Saffers - Graeme Pollock at #4
SL - Murali at #11
Windies - Sobers at #4

Surely SA is picking Kallis.

 

[StephenZA]

Surely SA is picking Kallis.

Yes.

 

[TNT]

Australia could do with McGrath too. Their bowling is good but not really great. Peak Australia could lose a batsman every now and then but whenever McGrath got injured they went down a couple of levels. McGrath instead of Starc means bowling has way more control and dependability (and is generally much better). Australia wouldn't have lost to India if they had McGrath instead of Starc. The bowling really let them down at Melbourne. Of course any great cricketer would improve the test side they're drafted into by definition though.

Yeah has to be McGrath, no bigger match winner.

 

[fredfertang]

I'd go for Garry Sobers, give him a passage on the Empire Windrush and call him British, except thanks to the Tories that wouldn't work of course

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I'd go for Gower, elegance personified.

 

[Red Hill]

Australia could do with McGrath too. Their bowling is good but not really great. Peak Australia could lose a batsman every now and then but whenever McGrath got injured they went down a couple of levels. McGrath instead of Starc means bowling has way more control and dependability (and is generally much better). Australia wouldn't have lost to India if they had McGrath instead of Starc. The bowling really let them down at Melbourne. Of course any great cricketer would improve the test side they're drafted into by definition though.

I think McGrath is obviously going to be a great addition to any team, but pace bowling is not our need. We have Hazelwood, Cummins, Pattinson, Starc and Jhye Richardson. Solidifying either the opening batting or the middle order (5 and 6) would be my priorities so the bowlers have something to bowl at.

Warner is hot and cold (but very good when hot), Labu and Smith have 3 and 4 locked in, and the bowling unit has plenty of ability and depth. Dependable opener and gritty 5/6 would be priorities.

 

[stephen]

Imagine an attack of McGrath, Hazlewood and Cummins though. That's 80s Windies **** right there.

 

[morgieb]

Australia could do with McGrath too. Their bowling is good but not really great. Peak Australia could lose a batsman every now and then but whenever McGrath got injured they went down a couple of levels. McGrath instead of Starc means bowling has way more control and dependability (and is generally much better). Australia wouldn't have lost to India if they had McGrath instead of Starc. The bowling really let them down at Melbourne. Of course any great cricketer would improve the test side they're drafted into by definition though.

It's just a matter of how much.

There are times where McGrath would be a significant upgrade on Starc, but now it's like upgrading Lyon to Warne (i.e. it's still an upgrade but is it as big as upgrading say Wade to Border/Waugh? or Burns to Simpson? probably not)

 

[morgieb]

Australia - Border at #5
England - Hutton to open
India - Gavaskar at #5
NZ - Hadlee at #8
Pakistan - Imran at #7
Saffers - Graeme Pollock at #4
SL - Murali at #11
Windies - Sobers at #4

This feels weird. Either pick Gavaskar to open (which is a big weakness) or pick Tendulkar/Laxman instead if getting some middle order steel is required.

 

[morgieb]

I'm not sure SL would pick Murali, as much as he is the best Sri Lankan cricketer. They always seem to find a capable spin attack, whereas a top order batsman like Sangakkara I don't see them replacing for a long time.

Don't really agree looking at their current side. Their current batting is at least OK, but their spinners seem completely unproven at best.

 

[harsh.ag]

Surely SA is picking Kallis.

With the direness in batting all around, Pollock with his fast scoring ways adds more than Kallis. SA don't really need Kallis' bowling either.

This feels weird. Either pick Gavaskar to open (which is a big weakness) or pick Tendulkar/Laxman instead if getting some middle order steel is required.

The opening will sort itself out imo. #5 has been a concern for a while with Jinks turning mediocre. Gavaskar adds more steel than Tendulkar and Laxman isn't at the same level.

 

[morgieb]

With the direness in batting all around, Pollock with his fast scoring ways adds more than Kallis. SA don't really need Kallis' bowling either.



The opening will sort itself out imo. #5 has been a concern for a while with Jinks turning mediocre. Gavaskar adds more steel than Tendulkar and Laxman isn't at the same level.

How many Tests did Sunny actually play down the order? Very real chance he'd be worse than VVS as a #5. I understand that you don't think batting positions exist, but most people do.

 

[h_hurricane]

How many Tests did Sunny actually play down the order? Very real chance he'd be worse than VVS as a #5. I understand that you don't think batting positions exist, but most people do.

Gavaskar once scored 236* at no.4 against Marshall,Holding and Roberts. I think he will do well down the order.

When he was a non opener, he has scored 515 runs at 73.57. A Barry Richards kind of record.

 

[harsh.ag]

How many Tests did Sunny actually play down the order? Very real chance he'd be worse than VVS as a #5. I understand that you don't think batting positions exist, but most people do.

Yeah, no problems with anyone thinking it's a worse pick for Sunny to be at 5 than Tendulkar and Laxman. Can see arguments for both.

 

[Burgey]

Mark Cameron

Yesssssssss

Also, TOTAB

 

[CodeOfWisden]

Kapil dev.

 

[Burgey]

**** me, imagine Smith and Border just deciding they both won’t get out for a day and a half. What a magnificent act of bastardry that would be to see.

 

[Daemon]

Wagner would get them both in his first spell

 

[h_hurricane]

Imagine though that both Smith and TOTAB bat for a day and half, both on 99(386), and then Smith runs out TOTAB.

 

[honestbharani]

wont be his first brain fade..