It is fun to think about these things and funny when you consider some of the players you have to leave out because there is only 11 in a side. Further you are limited by basic side structure and the restriction to bat people in or close to their correct position in the batting order.
I went with 6 specialist batsman. Sobers ability as an excellent bowler and Richard Hadlee's ability of sorts with the bat are added bonuses. Gilchrist's ability with the bat changed cricket and the way sides are picked and the way wicket keepers are perceived. Gone are the days when a wicket keeper who cannot bat well would be selected to play test cricket.
Some might consider it sacrilege to leave out someone like Brian Lara from any "best of side". Well if you said to me is Brian Lara a better batsman than Sunil Gavaskar? My answer would be, "yes on every day of the week", but Lara doesn't open and wouldn't be effective there. Having seen Viv Richards, Graeme Pollock, Gary Sobers and Sachin Tendulkar at their best, I couldn't put Lara ahead of them in the middle order, notwithstanding that statistics might suggest otherwise.
Similarly, its difficult to leave someone like Ian Botham out of any side, but Gary Sobers and Adam Gilchrist go in ahead of him and Richard Hadlee was without question a far better bowler than Ian Botham IMO.
The side I picked bats to #9, with a tail of only 2. Has 4 strike bowlers, with Sobers as a 5th bowler and Tendulkar and Richards to operate as change spin bowlers. It would be a tough side to beat. However, I can guarantee you that the "Second XI" would be a very strong side also, with the quality players who missed the cut
All good discussion!
Cheers
John B