Stewie's World Test XI

[barmyarmy]

With many of cricket's biggest stars gathering for the Indian Premier League, I've taken advantage of a pause in the international calendar to select my World Test XI.
My team is based on Test cricket over the 12 months from May 2012 to April 2013, taking into account not just the quality of performances but also the standard of the opposition each player was up against.
It has not been an easy task deciding who to pick and who to leave out and I'm sure you will have your own opinions on who deserves to make the final cut, so make sure you weigh in with your own selections in the comments section below.

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Cook
Pujara
Amla
Sangakarra
Kallis
Clarke
Prior
Ashwin
Philander
Steyn
Morkel

5 x SA
2 x Ind
2 x Eng
1 x Aus
1 x SL

Personally I think Stewart is living in the past with this team. A team of "once were"s. Hard to argue with the two of the three SA pacers but Ashwin? Sangakarra and Kallis in the middle order? Pakistan with no players at all?

I would have KP in for Sangakarra, Ajmal for Ashwin. I'd be tempted by McCallum but would have to put Smith in to open. I reckon I'd end up with:

Cook
Smith
Amla
Puraja
Pietersen
Clarke
Prior
Ajmal
Morkel
Steyn
Anderson

4 x Eng
4 x SA
1 x Ind
1 x Aus
1 x Pak

 

[shravi]

Alastair Cook
* Graeme Smith
Hashim Amla
Cheteshwar Pujara
Michael Clarke
Kevin Pietersen
+ Matt Prior
Vernon Philander
Dale Steyn
James Anderson
Saeed Ajmal

just one change from Colin's.

 

[War]

Smith*
Cook
Amla
Sangakkra
Kallis
Pietersen
Prior
Steyn
Anderson
J Khan
Ajmal


Form is temporarily & class is permanent. Clarke has had a top two years - but Kallis & Sangakkara overall career records should still would give them the nod for a middle order place over him.

KP the most destructive batsman in the world when he gets going. A must pick too. No batsman can take apart a top quality spin & pace attack as KP showed vs SRI, SA, IND in 2012.

Steyn & Anderson are the two clear # 2 best quick bowlers in the world. However i think its pretty close & a matter of conjecture of who you think its the next best best among the likes of Philander, M Morkel, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan, Pattinson, Harris, Siddle, Roach, Finn.

I'm would pick Junaid simply because he is the only leftie of the group & bring top class variety the world XI bowling attack. He is as good as anybody when bowling well.

 

[shravi]

Read the article, War. It says last 12 months.

 

[Aalay]

Well the argument can be that if Alec Stewart selects Philander than he has to select Ashwin because Ashwin has very similar record as Philander. Plus Ashwin's batting average is also something that might strengthen his case. However, they both have to still prove themselves away from home. Ashwin and Philander both struggled in Australia. Saeed Ajmal has only played only 2 series in the time frame based on which the team has been selected. Overall, I agree with your(barmyarmy) team but someone like Morkel always bothers me with his selection. How about someone like Trent Boult?

 

[barmyarmy]

I think Boult had a great series on unhelpful pitches but it takes more than that to be considered one of the best bowlers in the world.
I actually agree with Shravi about Morkel. I might well pick Philander over him.

 

[Epic]

Read the article, War. It says last 12 months.

Well, if we do the cut-offs(May 1st 2012 to April 1st 2013) the way Stewie has done them, we get Smith averaging below 40...

 

[shravi]

Sure, but who would you rather have? Compton? Cowan? Warner? Dhawan? Vijay? Sehwag? Gambhir? Dilshan? I think he has done a wonderful job of bringing together a South African team that always had talent but had some big egos and cliques, and frequently failed to live up to its potential.

 

[War]

Read the article, War. It says last 12 months.

Yea i know ha, i ignored it & just picked a general best world XI based on a longer time frame.

 

[Epic]

Sure, but who would you rather have? Compton? Cowan? Warner? Dhawan? Vijay? Sehwag? Gambhir? Dilshan? I think he has done a wonderful job of bringing together a South African team that always had talent but had some big egos and cliques, and frequently failed to live up to its potential.

None of them, Pujara as the makeshift will do.

My XI:

1. Alastair Cook*
2. Cheteshwar Pujara
3. Hashim Amla
4. Kevin Pietersen
5. Michael Clarke
6. AB de Villiers
7. Matt Prior?
8. Vernon Philander/Rangana Herath
9. Saeed Ajmal
10. Dale Steyn
11. James Anderson