Is the current Australian team the best ever in the history of Test cricket?

That was one of the questions we asked our users in the Cricinfo Survey of Test Cricket. Today, as Australia continue to assert their superiority over South Africa in the current series, we examine your response to this question as the first in a number of weekly articles related to users' replies to our survey.

It is, of course, extremely difficult to identify a consensus from a sample of in excess of 3,000 Test cricket fans. Nevertheless, there do seem to be a number of running themes among the comments received that are worth highlighting.

Michael Breitsameter from Canada summed up the thoughts of many. "Australia are definitely the dominant side, and perhaps one of the best ever seen. They attack from the first ball to the last, their run rates are higher than any other side, they position themselves to get a result. This is definitely good for the game."

Cecil Snell in the UK doffs his cap to Steve Waugh's men "The Australian side of 2000 in England was probably the best Test side ever as the batting, bowling and fielding were at an astonishingly high level."

Harry Commerbutch in New Zealand disagrees strongly: "Australia the best team of all time? Don't make me laugh! They're a solid team well past their sell by date, flattered by some suspect results against not so great teams."

So the debate is well and truly on. Many users tempered our provocative question with reference to recent results in India and at home against New Zealand. Angela Moore in the UK summed up the thoughts of many. "The Australian team is awesome, but they are getting older and will the up and coming youngsters be as good? As New Zealand and India proved, they cannot win every series."

Many felt that Waugh's 21st century Australians were rivalled only by the West Indian team of the late 70s and early 80s.

Peter Jonkers in the UK sums up a recurrent theme when he says "The Australian Test side is as good as any that I have seen in my life as a sports fan. Best of all time? Close, I think the West Indies team of the late 70s early 80s was all class and probably gets my vote."

Malcolm Sergeant in Australia hails the current Australian side, while yearning for the - hypothetical - greatest cricket fixture ever. "The current Australian side would be up there with the best. However, I would have liked to see how well they would have performed against the great West Indian sides of the 80s and 90s, against the likes of Richards, Lloyd, Holding and Marshall."

Rai Ratan Kumar in Singapore disagrees, and it is the same opposition that draws the plaudits. "Australia are nowhere near the best team of all time. In my memory, Lloyd's West Indians were the best by miles." Richard Corry in New Zealand is equally assertive. "I do not believe they should yet claim the title of best team of all time. They have only two bowlers that could be genuinely rated as greats of the game. This does not compare with the West Indian team of the 1970s and early 80s." Urel Sawyers from America proposes an honourable draw: "The title of best team of all time must be shared between this Australian team and the all-conquering West Indies team that ruled for nearly two decades."

Many users chose to hark back further in their comparisons. Andrew Eaton in the UK states "The Australians may be the best in the world at the moment, but are they the best ever? Impossible to tell. How would they have coped with the 1921 Australians or the England of 1902? All you can say is that they would have given any other side, ever, a great game. I wish I could watch it." Peter Unsworth in the UK agrees on the ultimate fantasy fixture "The Australians are by far the best side since the West Indies of the 70/80's and believe that a game between these two sides would sort the men from the boys."

Many found comparisons difficult to make. Paul Spice in Australia comments: "Comparing different eras rarely, if ever works."

As with all great empires, the reign must come to an end, and a number of those who took part in the survey foresee the fall of Australia. Simon Davis (admittedly in New Zealand) stated "Australia are at the end of their reign" while Kiwi Heather says "I think the Aussie team will soon be challenged, not only by South Africa but another unsuspecting team, and the Aussie reign will be over."

John Haywood echoes the thoughts of many when he says: "In the future, Australian cricket will come back to earth because of the retirements of the Waugh twins, McGrath and Shane Warne. Still a lot of praise should be placed with this Australian Test side because it has done cricket immense credit for getting the game where it is today."

And when talking of the "Millennium" Aussies, Dominic Lane in New Zealand cautions over-enthusiasm for the current crop. "It is useless calling any team the best of all time, if it does not contain Bradman." David Vine in Australia harks back the Invincibles: "The greatest of all-time? The Don's Invincibles of '48 must be up there as the greatest I think." John Field in the UK agrees. "The 1945-6 Australian Invincibles were the best team of all time."

Whether or not they are the greatest of all time, CricInfo users feel that one thing is for certain: Steve Waugh and his side are changing Test cricket – for the better. Ralph Sunley in the UK sums it up neatly when he says "The current Australian team has redefined Test cricket over the last 18 months. Their attacking and innovative play has reinvigorated the game."

But if the Australians are reinvigorating the game, was it in a poor state previously? It takes only a quick straw poll among the comments raised to see again and again the theme of resurgent Test cricket.

Kyan Barucha, USA: "Test cricket is definitely making a comeback." Dr Krishna Kaphle in Nepal: "Today, Test cricket is in a state of re-emergence." Rishabh Bhandari in the UK highlights the perceived trend: "The crowds that had left the Test match arena for the quick thrills of the one day version are back! And Test cricket is charming all over again!"

Jason Macca in New Zealand suggests that Test cricket constantly needs to assert its quality: "Test cricket is becoming stale and requires results like the India v Australia series and the recent Australia v New Zealand series to show that it is still strong."

But any negative thoughts tend to be outweighed by praise for the trend towards positive cricket embodied by the side that features in both of the series mentioned by Jason Macca – the Australians. This theme occurs repeatedly in the comments of CricInfo users.

Positive play makes for good cricket and entertains the crowds, which is vital for the long-term health of the game. Kapil Gupta relishes battles to come: "The Australians are good players but what puts them apart is their attitude. With other teams ready to go against them with a positive attitude, anything is possible!"

Rob Byrne in the UK sums up the general optimism of CricInfo users: "Particularly heartening for me as an avid cricket follower is the attitude of the Australians. They try and win every game and simply do not know how to block out for a draw. This kind of attitude will ensure that Test cricket has a very healthy future."

In future articles based on the views of CricInfo users, we will look at the state of the game, suggested improvements to Test cricket, the influence of one-day cricket, the aftermath of match fixing and the Sehwag affair, the behaviour of players, the role of the governing bodies, and concerns about the future of cricket.

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