On Cricket SuperSeries (WorldXI vs Aus)

I really have mixed feelings about the 3-0 series whitewash of WorldXI against Australia. On the one hand there are really great players in the world xi team and each one of them had the ability to give a matchwinning performance. I read a lot of comments about how world xi did not play as a 'team' and that 'if only one person had clicked' things would have been different.

I believe that australia's strength is that none of the australians really are uncomfortable against any of the players in the World XI. They have players who can play shoaib or murali or both at the same time. I don't believe this is true for the 'individuals' in the World XI. Early overs at McGrath's accuracy have proven fatal a number of times for the likes of Sehwag. What was really amazing was that Sangakkara of all people came out as the best batsman (he was even not selected in the test team)? Although Kallis and Lara have had a great year, they are on the lower end of their form graphs right now for the year. Dravid has not had too much quality cricket in a while and really the only other player who the team could have counted on was Flintoff (he must be getting used to the feeling now).

If I were to breed a team solely for the purpose of defeating the australians, this is not the team I would select. There were others who did well 'against australia' who did not make it to the World XI purely because of either their inexperience or their lack of form early this year. Also, teams must be selected not just by selecting the best players but also by looking at their styles and effectiveness working together.

Anyway, it is certainly an interesting series and I would like it to be repeated once in a while (although not against australia every time but the current number 1 team-doesn't look like it will change in the coming 4 years... time will tell).