My favourite Test XI

 



I have always been a cricket fan. I loved playing and watching it. Cricket generally has three formats i.e, Test, ODI, T20. I am more of a Test and ODI format admirer because my own game resembles with those two format. Especially test, I love watching it. I have watched cricket a lot and here I present a team consisting of my favourite players. I didn't have the pleasure to witness many great players but still I will build a team of my favourite 11 test players.
   
  So I will list the players according to their position and also the reasons behind my picking of them . Here we go then. Starting with..

1) Alastair Cook 

I grew up watching his defensive shot over and over. I still get overwhelmed by his flick of the ball off the pads. He was a formidable opener and a reliable one. He had scored over 12,000 runs with 33 hundreds to his name. He had such fantastic character, I just loved the way how he went about his business. He did so much for his English team and he deserves all the credit. Not to forget that he was a good slip fielder, he will be my second slip.

Honorable mention:- David Warner



2) Hashim Amla 

Oh, what a player he was. He was unprecedentedly solid and consistent run getter. He was so technical batsman, not aggressive but just so solid. His shots in the off side were exquisite. His hand eye coordination was captivatingly amazing. He had scored over 9,000 runs with 28 hundreds to his name. A humiliating character and loved by so many including me. He and Alastair will give me a good left hand right hand combination.



3) The Little Master 

In my view, Sachin had the best cricketing mind and hands down one of the greatest of all time. He could hit the same ball with such versatility. He had over 15,000 runs with 51 hundreds to his name, most by any in tests. His discipline, shot selection, game understanding still leaves me in awe. Who could forget his double hundred against the Aussie where he didn't even hit a single cover drive. I admire him a lot. I had the chance to watch him at his later stage of his career but still he was amazing. 

Honorable mention:- Virat Kohli



4) Ricky Ponting 

For me the batsman with the best pull shot in cricket. What a player he was. I instantly loved his game. His flamboyant nature, his audacity made me love him. He had whopping 41 test hundreds to his name. He was not only a great batsman also a hugely successful captain. He had a winning rate of 67.9%. That is a massive number. He knew how to asses the pitch, he read the game so well. He is my favourite batsman. Considering his captaining abilities, he will lead this team as a ferocious captain. He will also be my first slip.

Honorable mention:- Ian Bell



5) The South African All Rounder 

I haven't seen a more disciplined batsman than Jacques Kallis. He could just hit the ball all day long, a relentless batter who was filled with perseverance. He had scored over 13,000 runs with 45 hundreds to his name. Not only with the bat he was equally good with the ball and in the field. He had 292 wickets in his name. He had such great aura about him that I loved so much. He could bowl in good line and give you wickets. It's an asset to have him in the team. I didn't know about you but I always saw him as a great slip fielder so he will also be my third slip.



6) The Sri Lankan Left hander 

Elegance personified. The class cover drive and his fantastic use of the feet to hit the lofted shot, Sanga is a cricketing superstar. When I used to watch SL team playing, I always wanted Sanga to score runs. He had over 12,000 runs with 38 hundreds to his name. He was such a humiliating character and who could forget that smile at the final of the world cup 2011 after Sri Lanka lost to India. Not to forget how good of a wicket keeper he was. I really enjoyed watching him play. He will be my wicketkeeper batsman.

Honorable mention:- Adam Gilchrist 



7) vernon Philander 

I could watch this guy bowl all day long. He was such a silky smooth bowler. He landed the bowl in right areas consistently, had a good seam position, could swing the ball, eye pleasing of a arm action, he had everything I wanted in a bowler. He had 224 test wickets to his name. I tried to copy his style when I played cricket in my early days. Not to forget he could score runs too, he was an all rounder. He was very effective in those South African and English pitch, where the ball did the talking. I will always include him in my team, what a fantastic bowler.

Honorable mention:- Tim Southee



8) Dale Steyn 

Fierce, passionate and strong, Steyn is my favorite bowler together with Anderson. At his peak, he gave nightmare to batsman. He bad brilliant pace, could bowl bouncer and could swing the ball away from the right hander. He had picked up 439 wickets. Steyn dominated the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings during the peak of his career, for a record 263 weeks between 2008 and 2014. In those South African pitch, he was devastating. I enjoyed his character. He used to come in charging and hit the deck hard. He was an influencer to me. 

Honorable mention:- Mitchell Johnson 



9) Graeme Swann 

One of my favourite cricketing character, what a player he was. His arm action is still seductive, I mean how did he get that action? When I used to watch England play, I just wanted Swann to bowl so that I could enjoy his arm action. Lovely, isn't it? He always had shades on and shirt collar unfolded. That gave him a fantastic cool look. He had picked up 255 test wickets and also scored over 1000 runs. A flamboyant spinner. Sometimes the ball span so much, it used to leave me in awe. Fantastic fantastic bowler, I absolutely love him.

Honorable mention:- Ravi Ashwin 



10) Jimmy Anderson

Had you seen a cricketing ball swing like that? James Anderson made that cricket ball dance and the ability to do it both ways, makes him so special. His longevity is unmatched. He is still picking up wickets and trying to comprehend that makes you perplexed. How good of a bowler he still is. He knows exactly where to land the ball, how to move the ball, he had it all. Jimmy and Steyn are my two best bowlers. He has picked up a whopping 682 wickets. For a fast bowler that is ridiculous. He was the bowler whom I tried to copy the most. Absolutely lovable character and glad to have him in the team.

Honorable mention:- Josh Hazelwood 



11) Tim Southee

A genuine bowler who could swing the ball early on. He was always consistent with his line and length. One of my favourite bowlers to watch. A good arm action and he could do the job for his team very well.




          So, that's it. That's my favourite cricketing XI in test format. Let me know yours, comment down.


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