Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar and opener Virender Sehwag are among the list of players nominated for an online poll to select the greatest team of all-time on the occasion of Test cricket’s 2,000th match.
The 2,000th-Test will take place between India and England at Lord’s from July 21 to 25. To commemorate the occasion, the ICC has called on supporters from across the globe to select the greatest team of all-time.
While Sehwag has found a place in the list of openers, which also has the likes of former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar, Tendulkar has been short-listed for the middle-order batsman’s slot.
However, no Indian player has found a place in the shortlist for the slot of wicketkeepers and fast bowlers, while the 1983 World Cup winning Indian team captain Kapil Dev is in the reckoning as an all-rounder.
Legendary Bishan Singh Bedi and Anil Kumble have been shortlisted for the spinner’s role in the dream team.
Sir Donald Bradman and West Indian great Viv Richards are in the fray for the middle-order’s slot, while attacking wicketkeeper batsman Adam Gilchrist is pitted against South Africa’s Mark Boucher for the stumper’s position.
West Indies duo Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding and Pakistani great Wasim Akram have been shortlisted in the bowler’s category along side champion spinner Shane Warne.
The ICC’s website is seeking votes from fans and cricket lovers across the world to pick the dream Test team from a shortlist of 60 players split into five categories.
The fans will be asked to pick two opening batsmen, three middle-order batsmen, a wicketkeeper, three fast bowlers and one spinner.
The public vote on ICC’s website closes in two days’ time with results set to be announced the week before the 2,000th Test.
“With the 2,000th Test coming up it is appropriate to remember some of the great players through the ages that have thrilled audiences and inspired us all,” ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said in a statement.
“With so many legends of the game to choose from, it is a very difficult task and I’m sure one that will lead to plenty of fond recollection and great debate.
“Test cricket is the pinnacle format of our great sport and it is important we continue to protect and promote it so that it grows even stronger over the next 2,000 matches.”
The shortlist for Dream Team:
Opening batsmen: Geoffrey Boycott, Sunil Gavaskar, Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Jack Hobbs, Len Hutton, Hanif Mohammad, Virender Sehwag, Herbert Sutcliffe, Victor Trumper.
Middle-order batsmen: Don Bradman, Greg Chappell, Wally Hammond, George Headley, Brian Lara, Javed Miandad, Graeme Pollock, Ricky Ponting, Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar.
All-rounder: Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Aubrey Faulkner, Richard Hadlee, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Keith Miller, Wilfred Rhodes, Gary Sobers, Frank Worrell.
Wicketkeepers: Les Ames, Mark Boucher, Jeff Dujon, Godfrey Evans, Andy Flower, Adam Gilchrist, Alan Knott, Rod Marsh, Clyde Walcott, Wasim Bari.
Fast bowlers: Curtley Ambrose, Sydney Barnes, Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee, Ray Lindwall, Malcolm Marshall, Glenn McGrath, Fred Trueman, Courtney Walsh, Wasim Akram.
Spinners: Bishen Bedi, Richie Benaud, Lance Gibbs, Clarrie Grimmett, Jim Laker, Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralidaran, Bill O’Reilly, Derek Underwood, Shane Warne.
Keywords: Test cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, dream Test team





viru
sunny
don
blaster
viv
k paji
gilly
warny
marshal
akram
pigeon
greatest test team...........
There are only 6 certainties: Don Bradman
Sachin Tendulkar
Gary Sobers
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Brian Lara
Sehwag
Hobbs
Lara
Sachin
Bradman
Gilchrist
Ambrose
Akram
Mcgrath
Warne
Sobers
Though i miss the unsung hero of Test Cricket, The wall, Rahul, below is my team from the nominees...
1.Virender Sehwag
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Don Bradman
4.Sachin Tendulkar
5.Brian Lara
6.Viv Richards
7.Andy Flower (WK)
8.Wasim Akram
9.Shane Warne
10.Glenn Mcgrath
11.Ambrose
I wish to adjust Ricky and Adam some where but its 11 men game!
Why Rahul S Dravid's name is not in this shortlist? I'am deeply annoyed not to have seen his name here.
1.Virender Sehwag
2.Sunil Gavaskar
3.Don Bredman
4.Sachin Tendulkar
5.Brian Lara
6.Viv Richards
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Wasim Akram
9.Muttiah Muralidaran
10.Glenn Mcgrath
11.Ambrose
I Think this is a all-time greatest team.
In my opinion Sehwag is the best opener till now.................... and team is:
1.Virender Sehwag
2.Geoffery Boycutt
3.Don Bradman
4.Schin Tendulkar
5.Viv Rechards
6.Garry Sobers
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Michael Holding
9.Wasim Akaram
10.Glen Mcgrath
11.Shane Warne
Sunil Gavaskar
Sehwag
Sachin Tendulkar
Bredman
Kapil Dev
Gary Sobers
flower
Akram
Mc Grath
Anil Kumble
Bishan singh Bedi
Virender Sehwag must be in list as opening batsman .he has wonderful average and strike rate also. We should not forget that he is such a great entertainer.
My favourate team
1. Sachin
2. Sewag
3. Don Bredman
4. Dravid
5. Brian Lara
6. Viv Richards
7. Adm Gilchrist
8. Glenn Mecgrath
9. Shaun Pollack
10 Shane Warne
11.Wasim Akram
Sehwag
Greenidge
Lara
Sachin
Bradman
Gilchrist
Ambrose
Akram
Mcgrath
Warne
Sobers
1. Virendra Sehwag (IND)
2. Martin Crowe(NZ)
3. Don Bradman (AUS)
4. Sachin Tendulkar(IND)
5. VVS Laxman (IND)
6. Adam Gilcrist (AUS)
7. Kapil Dev (IND)
8. Wasim Akram (PAK)
9. Shane Warne (AUS)
10.Malcom Marshell (W.I)
11.Curtly Ambrose (W.I)
Top Best Team
Where is Dravid. He deserve a place in Greatest test batsman. He is the Best No:3 batsman India ever produced.His average at no:3 is second only to Don Bradman.
1.Virender Sehwag
2.Sunil Gavaskar
3.Don Bredman
4.Sachin Tendulkar
5.Brian Lara
6.Viv Richards
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Wasim Akram
9.Muttiah Muralidaran
10.Glenn Mcgrath
11.Malcolm Marshall
I Think this is a all-time greatest team.
Well deserved recognition.
Sachin Tendulkar in place of ricky ponting..both very great. We make 2nd Elevan...so we dont miss on out on 'greats' like Lindwall, Laker, Freddie Trueman, Muralitharan, Hutton, Hanif, Graeme Pollock, Kallis, Ponting, Walcott.
1. Len Hutton
2. Jack Hobbs
3. Don Bradman
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Viv Richards
6. Gary Sobers
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Wasim Akram
9. Malcolm Marshall
10. Shane Warne
11. Muthiah Muralitharan
1.Virender sehwag
2.sunil Gavasker
3.Don Bradman
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5.Viv Richards
6.Kapil Dev
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.curtley Ambrose
9.Wasim Akram
10.Glen Mcgrath
11.Shane Warne
1. Gavaskar
2. Sehwag
3. Bradman
4. Tendulkar
5. Viv Richards
6. Sobers
7. Gilchrist
8. Marshall
9. Muralitharan
10. Barnes
11. Ambrose
1.Virender Sehwag
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Don Bradman
4.Sachin Tendulkar
5.Viv Richards
6.Garry Sobers
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Wasim Akram
9.Shane Warne
10. Malcolm Marshall
11. Glenn Mcgrath
Gordon Greenidge
Virender Sehwag
Don Bradman
Brian Lara
Viv Richards
Gary Sobers
Curtley Ambrose
Glenn McGrath
Wasim Akram
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Sehwag is ICC's test team greatest? wow! he might have got great records but he is unfit in the greatest list. He missed fielding, his performance against next 4 ranked team is still a question to be answered. Definetly he is a terror for bowlers in ODI, T20 and IPL. But in greatest test team is odd.
1. virender Sehwag
2. Jack hobbs
3. Viv Richrds
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Brian Lara
6. Jaques Kallis
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Curtley Ambrose
9. Glen Macgrath
10.Wasim Akram
11. Shane Warne
Only 2 indians deserve a place in such a team - Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar..
Honorable mention Kapil Dev, Rahul Dravid (12000+ runs and Counting). Sehwag may deserve a place in such a time by the time his career comes to and end but he is not up there at this moment. I will take Sunil Gavaskar over sehwag any day in a test team. In fact I will take VVS over sehwag right now.
1. Viru Sehwag
2. Jack Hobbs
3. Don Bradman
4. Viv Richards
5. Greame Pollock
6. Gary Sobers
7. Godfrey Evans
8. Shane Warne
9. Dennis Lillee
10. Malcolm Marshall
11. Wasim Akram
Among all the positions in the cricket team, it is the opening slots whose task can be very clearly defined. The job of the opening pair is to make life easy for numbers three, four and five. In making a selection of the best openers therefore, consistency is the most important factor. Primarily you have to go by average scores. Give the average scores a weight of 50%, 25% for the rate of scoring (sorry sir Geoffrey) and 25% to the kind of opposition bowling. You need to have faced the kind of Keith Miller, Freddie Truman, Gilchrist of the West Indian variety, Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Dennis Lillee and Thompson. Performance against the friendly Indian medium pace of the 80s and 90s wouldn't count.
Not a single batsman in the current tour to West Indies batted in the Sehwag style which was first popularised in India by K Srikkanth. I doubt Srikanth or Sehwag would have batted so defensively if they were in this current tour of West Indies.
1.Virender Sehwag
2.Sunil Gavaskar
3.Don Bradman
4.Sachin Tendulkar
5.Viv Richards
6.Brian Lara
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Wasim Akram
9.Shane warne
10.Curtly Ambrose
11.Glenn McGrath
1.Virender Sehwag
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Don Bradman
4.Sachin Tendulkar
5.Viv Richards
6.Garry Sobers
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Wasim Akram
9.Muttiah Muralidaran
10. Malcolm Marshall
11. Glenn Mcgrath
1) Virender Sehwag
2) Jack Hobbs
3) Brian Lara
4) Sachin Tendulkar
5) Javed Miandad
6) Gary Sobers
7) Adam Gilchrist
8) Wasim Akram
9) Shane Warne
10) Curtley Ambrose
11) Glenn Mcgrath
All Time Greatest Test Team. My choice would be:
Hanif Mohammad, Virender Sehwag, Don Bradman, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar,Gary Sobers, Mark Boucher, Ray Lindwal, Glen McGrath, Wasim Akram, Shane Warne
Though names of all-rounders have been given, there is no provision for selecting one or more in the Team. I could not resist picking Gary Sobers for his sheer class, but there are others too like Jacques Kallis, Kapil Dev and Imran Khan who have left their indelible imprint as great all-rounders of the game. It is sad to leave out Muthia Muralidharan and Anil Kumble for their sheer consistency and record number of wickets taken by them, but Alas, the team can have only eleven players.
1.Virender Sehwag
2.Jack Hobbs
3.Don Bradman
4.Ricky Ponting
5.Viv Richards
6.Garry Sobers
7.Adam Gilchrist
8.Wasim Akram
9.Shane Warne
10. Malcolm Marshall
11. Glenn Mcgrath
Right - soon we will see Indian fans start sending SMSs to each other to flood the voting system with votes for all the Indians on the shortlist, thus rendering the entire process meaningless.
I think that skippers could have been shortlisted too .... and among them DHONI might have featured too as the best skipper ever(first priority) with natural instincts, guts and what not ! He is a true Gambler .
Its ironical that the middle order list does not have VVS and Dravid, two of the finest test players India has produced.Spin list is flat without the mention of BS Chandrasekhar or EAS Prasanna. It may be a bit early, but Sanga deserves to be mentioned in the Wickie's list.
Why Rahul S Dravid's name is not in this shortlist? When it comes to middle order batting in Tests, he is no lesser a 'great batsman' than the likes of Miandads or Pontings. I'am deeply annoyed not to have seen his name here.
This is one of the best idea. But one shortcoming is there must be a option for the position of captaincy spot..Then it becomes a full fledged team.
Please Email the Editor