My Best Test Eleven

I have always been a fan of Test Cricket over other forms of cricket. Yes, T-20 is fun and exciting but I am more of an old school lad. Today, I want to present my Best Test Eleven.

Criteria

The players must be the ones I grew up watching.

1) Sir Alastair Cook

Opening the batting in my Best Test Eleven team is the greatest English batsman. He is the second opener to have scored more than 10,000 tests. With 161 matches played, he holds the record for most consecutive test matches played with 159 matches.

I still remember my class 9 days when Alastair had just got captaincy and England was touring India in the year 2011-2012. On the back of his back to back 3 centuries in 3 tests, England was able to defeat India after 27 years.

Cook’s fielding at first slip will be crucial as well.

Alastair Cook

Stats

Matches played: 161
Runs scored: 12,472
Batting average: 45.35
100s/50s: 33/57

2) David Warner

My second opener at the top of the order is going be David Warner.

David Warner will be the perfect partner for Cook. Warner, known for his shots and aggressive style of play has been equally remarkable in Test as he has been in limited-overs cricket.

Warner’s athletic fielding will be a bonus as well.

David Warner

Stats

Matches played: 84
Runs scored: 7,244
Batting average: 48.94
100s/50s: 24/30

3) Kane Williamson (C)

At number 3, is Kane Williamson from New Zealand. Williamson is one of the greats of modern-day cricket and is part of ‘Fab Four’.

He has been a great captain from his days of Under-19 level and has now been captaining Senior Team as well. So, he is going to be captain of my side.

Calm, determined and witty, Williamson is a great captain for my side.

Kane Willamson

 Stats

Matches played: 80
Runs scored: 6,476
Batting average: 50.99
100s/50s: 21/32

4) Steve Smith

At no 4, is arguably the best test batsman of modern times. Smith started his career as a leg-spin bowler and used to bat at 8or 9. He then went back changed his game got a new stance and technique that is quite unorthodox but that works for him really well.

Since then he has not looked back. On the back of his batting, Australia redeemed the Ashes after 18 states in British soil. An average of 63 and his fielding at second slip will be a huge advantage.

Steven Smith

Stats

Matches played: 73
Runs scored: 7,227
Batting average: 62.84
100s/50s: 26/29

5) Virat Kohli

At number 5 is the Indian captain Virat Kohli. Virat is one of the member Fab 4 and has been remarkable in recent years.

Virat had failed in 2012 series against England but since then has managed to bat quite well and has scored seven double centuries.

His athletic fielding and bold nature is also a bonus.

My Best Test Eleven
Virat Kohli

Stats

Matches played: 86
Runs scored: 7240
Batting average: 53.6
100s/50s: 27/22

6) Ben Stokes

At number 6 is probably the best test all-rounder in the modern era. I still remember when England was whitewashed 5-0 by Australia in the 2013/14 series, Stokes was the only English cricket who scored the hundred. From then on he has been a great cricketer.

Stokes’s bowling is also great and can swing the ball and considerable pace. His slip fielding is equally good for both spinners and pacers.

Ben Stokes

Stats

Matches played: 63
Runs scored: 4,056
Batting average: 36.54
100s/50s: 9/21
Wickets: 147
Bowling average: 32.68
5 wickets in an innings:4

7) Quinton de Kock (WK)

There are a couple of names that pop out when I think about the wicketkeeper for my side. The likes of Johny Bairstow and Jos Buttler present a case. However, I feel de Kock has an upper hand in wicketkeeping.

Quinton de Kock is also a remarkable batsman and can take the game away with his remarkable shots.

Quinton de Kock

Stats

Matches played: 47
Runs scored: 2,934
Batting average: 39.12
100s/50s: 5/21
Catches/stumpings: 191/11

8) Ravichandran Ashwin

At number 8 is my offspinner from India. I needed a quality spinner in my Best Test Eleven and therefore chose Ravichandran Ashwin. Although Ravichandran Ashwin has not been great in white-ball cricket, he still remains a great threat in red-ball cricket.

Ashwin is great with his consistency and his carrom balls are lethal as well. Also, he is good with his bat.

Ravichandran Ashwin

Stats

Matches played: 70
Wickets: 362
Bowling average: 25.36
5 wickets in innings:27
10 wickets in match:7

9) Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn is an automatic fit in my playing eleven and will be sharing the new ball with James Anderson. Dale Steyn can swing and seam the ball regardless of the condition. Steyn dominated the number 1 Test bowler ranking for a record 263 weeks.

Who can forget 7-51 against India in Nagpur in 2010?
In just 93 matches, he got 439 wickets surely tell something about his ability. If not for his injuries he would have taken many more wickets.

Dale Steyn

Stats

Matches played: 93
Wickets: 439
Bowling average: 22.95
5 wickets in innings: 26
10 wickets in a match:5

10) Trent Boult

At number 9 in my Test Team is a left-arm swing bowler Trent Boult. Trent Boult since his debut in the test has been one of the top-rated bowlers. His outswinger against left-handers is very lethal. In recent series against India, he and Tim Southee played a crucial part in demolishing India.

Trent is a perfect bowler in the swinging condition and will be the first change bowler in my team.

Trent Boult

Stats

Matches played: 67
Wickets: 267
Bowling average: 27.65
5 wickets in innings:8
10 wickets in a match:1

11) James Anderson

Taking the new bowl is England record wicket-taker, James Anderson. He is currently the highest wicket-taker among the pace bowlers. At 37 years of years, he still wants to play more cricket tells that he loves the test cricket a lot.

 It is quite understandable given his age and the number of games he has played, he has lost a certain pace. However, he makes his loss of pace with all the swing tricks he learned over the years.

James Anderson

Stats

Matches played: 151
Wickets: 584
Bowling average: 26.83
5 wickets in innings: 28
10 wickets in a match:3

12) Sakib Al Hasan

For the 12th man in my team, I am picking an allrounder from Bangladesh. With his left-arm spin bowling, he is very lethal in turning pitches. Similarly, he is very handy with the bat as well.

Sakib Al Hasan

Stats

Matches played: 56
Runs scored: 3,862
Batting average: 39.40
100s/50s: 5/24
Wickets: 210
Bowling average: 31.12
5 wickets in innings: 18
10 wickets in a match: 2

Note: The stats are taken from Wikipedia. The stats are correct as of March 30, 2019.

We would like to hear about your favourite test eleven. Comment down below with your favourite test Eleven. 

Also Read: Our Favourite ODI XI

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