Imran Khan featured in Benaud’s ‘Greatest Test XI’
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SYDNEY: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan featured as an all-rounder in the Greatest Test XI of all time picked by Australian cricket legend Richie Benaud back in 2004.
Benaud, who passed away at the age of 84 in Sydney on Friday after a prolonged illness, had played and covered international cricket for more than 50 years and had probably seen more players in action than most people. Therefore, he had the benefit of choosing from a wider range of players spanning different eras.
Benaud’s Greatest Test XI: Jack Hobbs, Sunil Gavaskar, Don Bradman, Sachin Tendulkar, Viv Richards, Imran Khan, Gary Sobers, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Sydney Barnes, Dennis Lillee
While none of the eleven players picked are active anymore, Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist were still playing at the time when Benaud picked his team. In total, there were four Australians, two Englishmen, two West Indians, four Indians and one Pakistani in the XI.
A few eyebrows were raised regarding the exclusion of greats like Ian Botham, Brian Lara, Wally Hammond, Barry Richards, Jim Laker, Harold Larwood, Malcolm Marshall, Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall, Steve Waugh, Glenn McGrath, Rodney Marsh and Muttiah Muralitharan just to name a few, but Benaud made it clear afterwards that this was the side he would have most liked to represent him.
Published in Dawn, April 12th, 2015
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Comments (43) Closed
Apr 12, 2015 01:27pm
wasim akram should replace sydney barnes. but i am not benaud therefore his opinion is likely more valid. in the mean time i am still amazed how waqar remains a coach and how he recommended azhar ali
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Apr 12, 2015 01:38pm
As usual, you are poor in mathematics. How come four Indians find place in the Benaud 's greatest eleven?
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Apr 12, 2015 01:43pm
Two indians NOT four... Articles need to be reviewed before publishing. Thank you...
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Apr 12, 2015 01:45pm
Probably Imran would also be the choice as Captain of Richie Benaud's Dream Team.
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Apr 12, 2015 02:13pm
4 Indians..... Sunil, Gavaskar, Sachin & Tendulkar.
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Apr 12, 2015 02:18pm
there are 2 indians not four yaar.
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Apr 12, 2015 02:26pm
@Sidh, and look at the names for whose exclusion raised a few eyebrows. Some one who is almost in each and every world XI, Wasim Akram is not even mentioned.
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Apr 12, 2015 02:30pm
No Wasim Akram?
The greatest fast bowler the cricket has ever seen!
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Apr 12, 2015 02:43pm
An updated version would see replacement of the two Englishmen by DeVilliers and W.Akram.
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Apr 12, 2015 03:04pm
Counting error, should be 2 indian.
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Apr 12, 2015 03:08pm
Wasim,?
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Apr 12, 2015 03:42pm
One day ik will be feature in top ten men who changed the precedents of Pakistan in politics.
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Apr 12, 2015 03:49pm
Its two indian not four, typo error. Missing, javed and wasim is really ?
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Apr 12, 2015 04:14pm
@Haider Rehman His choice. You can include Wasim Akram or even Mohammad Sami in the one that you choose
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Apr 12, 2015 04:39pm
what about Wasim Akram - far better bowling and batting average and a born leader?
man of match for the WC final 1992
strange
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Apr 12, 2015 04:42pm
@Sidh Maybe Benaud picked 13 by mistake? LOL
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Apr 12, 2015 04:59pm
Thought through the team and found it PERFECT from his perspectives. It covers all areas of expertise, other countries, pretty balanced, and covers all eras of cricket history. Though, modern trend suggests to have at least one left arm pace bowler. Just a recent trend!
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Apr 12, 2015 05:16pm
Four Indians in all time Test team looks very difficult. I think other than Gavaskar and Tendulkar it is difficult to include anyone else.
My overall test eleven would be Gavaskar, Hobbs, Bradman, Viv Richards, Miandad (VC), Sobers (Capt), Imran Khan, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, Dennis Lillee
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Apr 12, 2015 05:41pm
Nawaz Sharif is not featured?
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Apr 12, 2015 05:45pm
There are indeed two. 2 too many!
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Apr 12, 2015 05:55pm
@Akram - These two are equal to four. Maths is fine here.
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Apr 12, 2015 06:01pm
4 Indians - May be got mixed up Indians with West Indians
Gavaskar, Sachin, Sobers and Richards !!
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Apr 12, 2015 06:34pm
It's okay u strive for better India Pakistan relations but not like this. Two Indians and not four.
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Apr 12, 2015 06:43pm
Why Sachin???
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Apr 12, 2015 07:56pm
I dont understand who will take the pain of raising eye brow on exclusion of ....... Steve Waugh .... Seriosuly ?
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Apr 12, 2015 08:21pm
Perhaps he should have mentioned whom he'd want to captain his dream team
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Apr 12, 2015 08:45pm
Great IK is keeping us proud...
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Apr 12, 2015 08:55pm
One persons likes and dislikes!!!
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Apr 12, 2015 09:34pm
Four indian? I guess there are only 2 names.
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Apr 12, 2015 09:47pm
Wasim Akram was way better of a bowler than Imran khan.
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Apr 12, 2015 10:06pm
People arguing about the list need to chill.It's HIS list.Why are you getting worked up over someones else's choice!
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Apr 12, 2015 10:24pm
this might be strictly his personal choice otherwise, and to me personally i would not chose dennis lille, instead sir richard hadlee had much greater calibre.
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Apr 13, 2015 06:30am
@SAR Good one; liked it.
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Apr 13, 2015 09:50am
Sydney Barnes had a bowling average of under 16 regardless of the era he played in. Bart King was another from that era with a similar average and highly praised by Bradman but didn't play tests.
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Apr 13, 2015 12:06pm
@Sidh instead of writing two , it published four...... LOL, it seems they got 33 marks in math
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Apr 13, 2015 12:06pm
@SAR haha, very calculated
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Apr 13, 2015 01:06pm
Every cricketer knows cricket more than most commenting here. Every cricketer will have a different playing 11. Sir Garry Sobers named 10 greatest batsmen of then late 70ies that included Barry Richards, Viv Richards, Zaheer Abbas, Gordon Greenidge, Clive Lloyd, Chappell brothers, etc. Spectators cant match cricketers' experience and insight so let them choose their playing 11. You are free to choose yours, thou it may not get the coverage.
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Apr 13, 2015 02:49pm
Gary Sobers regards Sunil Gavaskar as the best batsman he saw.
So Pakistanis here are attempting to insert names of Miandad or Zahir Abbas, that's pathetic. These guys could not play well outside Pakistani umpire's shelter.
Regarding Imran or Akram or any Pakistani bowlers, I do not agree to their inclusion as most of their wickets were using tampered ball.
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Apr 13, 2015 07:03pm
@Amjad thats only your opinion.
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Apr 13, 2015 08:52pm
@ Karachy wally. Miandad ? Really ? OK, It's your choice.
I would prefer Wasim over lilly, but Sid barns is a must. Check his records, 7 wickets per test.
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Apr 13, 2015 11:34pm
An excellent selection by the late Richie Benaud, may God Almighty bless his soul in peace and solace. Aameen, Tsum Aameen.
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Apr 14, 2015 12:11pm
@Rajdeep Absolutely,,sachin was not among the greatest.
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Apr 14, 2015 03:50pm
Imran was a better test bowler (better average and SR) and test all-rounder than Wasim. Out his of 6 ten-wicket hauls, three were away from home, all resulting in test victories for Pakistan (Sydney 1974, Headingley 1987 and Georgetown 1988)
Wasim Akram was a better ODI bowler than IK
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