Cricket Addictor's Best Test XI Of The Decade

Best Test XI Of The Decade: What an incredible decade of cricket it has been? Especially, the Test format of the game has witnessed quite a few scintillating performances from the players in all departments. The decade has observed rookie bowlers ending their careers as legends while a few batsmen turned into modern greats of the game. Most of the youngsters broke the records created by the legendary figures to deliver the goods for their respective countries and also garnered a huge name.

The decade also saw revolutionary changes to the Test form of the game. The most talked-about change is the colour of the ball. From the traditional red ball, Test cricket made a transition to the pink ball, which is played under the lights. Tests under floodlights also revived the interest in the longest format, with fans able to watch the game after their work hours.

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Besides those extraordinary performances, the year also witnessed quite a few emotional moments when the legends like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, AB De Villiers, Kumar Sangakkara and a few more incredible players called time on their careers. As the 2010s near its closure, we brought you the Best Test XI Of The Decade. Have a look:

Best Test XI Of The Decade:

1. Alastair Cook:

The stylish southpaw of England Alastair Cook is one of the all-time greats of the game. The classy batsman scored runs consistently for England to give them significant victories across the globe. One of the greatest attributes of him was his patience.

The former skipper of England stood like a wall for his side even in sub-continent conditions under the sun to make things fall in place. Alastair Cook averaged 45.35 in Test cricket with 12472 runs to his name; however, in the past decade, the left-hander amassed 8818 runs with 294 being his highest score.

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The highest left-handed run-scorer in Test cricket and the fifth-highest overall, Cook smashed a century on his debut against India and signed off with a century against the same team in September 2019. In total, he scored 33 centuries.

2. David Warner:

Yet another southpaw walks into the chart of Best Test XI Of The Decade. This decade has witnessed numerous opening batsman delivering the goods for their respective teams, but none of them was as consistent as David Warner. He had always been fit enough to be available for the selection and scored runs at a reasonable strike rate and average to help his side gain the initial advantage of the Test match.

After a modest debut at the Gabba, Warner came into his own with a career-defining century in Hobart. He became the 13th Australian opener to carry his bat through an innings. If the knock at Hobart was full of grit and determination, he showed another side of his batting abilities when he blasted a listless Indian bowling attack to all parts of the WACA during a stunning career-best knock of 180.

Since then, there was no question about his talent in the longest form of the game. When the world cricket is after the fabulous four (Kane, Virat, Smith & Root), David Warner extended the list to fabulous five with his consistency. He scored 7050 Test runs in 152 innings for Australia at an average of 48.29. It includes 23 centuries, one double century and one triple century as well.

3. Steve Smith:

One more Australian arrives into the lineup, and we firmly believe that no one would object his inclusion. Starting as a leg-spinner to rule the ICC Ranking for batsmen in Test cricket, Steve Smith is one of those special stories in the game of cricket. He scored runs for fun to prove the comparisons of him to Don Bradman were right.

Smith made his debut at the start of this decade in 2010 and averaged an astounding 63.75. He became Australia’s 45th Test captain in 2014, but the added responsibility did not hinder his performances. The only period in which the runs from his bat dried up was when he served a one-year ban.

He has 26 centuries to his name. The most significant of all stats is that he averages more than 60 away from home, scoring 3609 runs in this span and that includes six centuries against the arch-rivals England and 3 in India. In total, he scored 7157 runs in 72 Tests.

4. Virat Kohli:

Arguably, Virat Kohli has emerged as the best batsman of the decade across the formats. From a rookie batsman, who failed to face James Anderson in England to dominating almost all the bowlers in the world cricket including Anderson in a short period, Virat Kohli became the star of the decade for obvious reasons.

The Indian captain made his Test debut against West Indies in June 2011. Within no time, he was called the heir to Sachin Tendulkar. Virat Kohli is never satisfied with his spree of centuries, which makes him so unique. Kohli has an average of 55 in Tests, and he believes that he still has a lot more to achieve.

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27 centuries, 22 half-centuries and an impressive record away from home make Kohli a legendary batsman by any standard. He scored 3,644 runs at an average over 46 away from home. Overall, he has 84 matches, 7202 runs, an average of 54.97 and 27 tons under his belt, which stamps his greatness.

5. Kane Williamson:

Yet another class batsman walks into the lineup. Within few seasons from his debut, he was termed as New Zealand’s most elegant batsman since the legendary Martin Crowe. His exceptional ability to play spin alongside the fast bowlers made him a thorn for the bowlers across the globe. The current skipper of New Zealand has always been a consistent run-scorer since his debut in 2010 against Bangladesh.

If 2014 was a superb year for Williamson, it was 2015 that put him officially into the big league of batsmen. He notched up 1172 runs in Tests at a staggering average of 90. Since then, he never looked back, as he always marked his name among the leading run-scorers in a calendar year.

Williamson’s batting is a purists delight. Overall, he has scored 6379 runs in his 138 innings for New Zealand. He got a stunning average of 51.86 with the best knock of 242. In total, he has amassed 21 Test centuries alongside a couple of double centuries and 31 fifties.

6. Kumar Sangakkara (wk):

He might have played only five years in this decade, but that is more than enough to differentiate himself from the rest of the wicket-keepers in this decade. The cricketing fanatics across the world were up on their feet when Kumar Sangakkara called curtains on his career across the formats.

The legendary batsman from Sri Lanka scored 4,851 runs in 46 Tests this decade at an average of 61.40. Those staggering numbers prove his consistency in Test form of the game for Sri Lanka. He outclassed AB de Villiers to find a place in the Best Test XI of the Decade.

Apart from his numbers in this decade, Kumar Sangakkara finished with a massive tally of 12,400 runs in his 233 innings. An elegant stroke player, a reliable keeper, an astute thinker, was the cornerstone of Sri Lankan cricket for close to 15 years.

7. Ben Stokes:

The all-rounder from England witnessed quite a few twists and turns in his cricketing career in this decade. From being thrashed to four sixes in an over to lose the T20I World Cup for England to play the match-winning knock in 2019 World Cup final, Ben Stokes has already got enough to write an autobiography. The perfect icing on the cake came when he smashed a scintillating 135 against Australia in Ashes Trophy 2019 to finish a losing game in a draw.

Since his debut in 2013, the all-rounder has collected 137 wickets and scored 3738 runs down the order at an average of 35. Ben Stokes’ batting average outside the home is better than at home; he has scored 1960 runs overseas at 38.43.  With age on his side, it is expected that Stokes will end up as one of the game’s greatest all-rounders of all time.

8. Ravichandran Ashwin:

He finished the decade as the highest wicket-taker in international cricket with 564 wickets across all formats. After making his debut in 2011, Ravichandran Ashwin went onto become a scintillating performer for India in Test form of the game.

Ashwin holds the record of becoming the fastest bowler to reach the 300-wicket mark in Test cricket and has an impressive record of 342 wickets in 65 Tests, at an average of 25.44. Not just this, Ashwin is also the quickest Indian to 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300 and 350 wickets in Test cricket. All those came in this decade.

On spin-friendly Indian tracks, Ashwin’s dominance has been remarkable. He has played 76 Tests for India, from which he has 362 wickets at an average just over 25. To add to that, he also has 2,385 runs, including four centuries. Ashwin’s performance outside India has also been impressive – he has 108 wickets in 27 Tests.

9. Nathan Lyon:

The right-handed off-spinner is one of those few spinners, who can deliver wickets on any turfs for Australia. Nathan Lyon began his career as a member of the ground-staff team at the Adelaide Oval, but his off-breaks caught the eyes of South Australia’s Big Bash coach, Darren Berry and was recruited into the Redbacks T20 team in 2010-11.

After his impressive show with the white ball, he was called up for the Test series against Sri Lanka. A classical off-spinner who loves to flight the ball, Lyon found immediate success and claimed a 5-wicket haul on his debut in Galle thus becoming the 131st player to do so.

Since then, he has been a regular member in Test cricket for Australia. In total, he has picked 376 wickets in 95 matches for Australia. Nathan Lyon registered 16 five-wicket hauls and two 10-wicket hauls in his stint for Australia so far.

10. Dale Steyn:

Yet another stalwart player, who called curtains on his incredible Test career in this decade finds a place in Best Test XI of The Decade. In a generation, where spinners are ruling the world, Dale Steyn was one of the few fast bowlers, who ruled the roost. Steyn has ripped through every team during the peak of his career.

He has taken five wicket-hauls in an innings against every side he has played. It was only at the end of the decade when injuries finally began to catch up with him, that his form fell away. 93 Tests, 439 wickets, an average of 22.95, 27 four-wicket hauls, 25 five-wicket hauls, five 10-wicket hauls – the numbers simply define the eventful career of Dale Steyn in Test cricket.

11. James Anderson:

The veteran fast bowler of England James Anderson finishes our Best Test XI of the decade. He is the only player in this lineup to play before the start of the decade and will be continuing after the decade as well. The swing master is a nightmare for a lot of batsmen in the world cricket, especially, with the new ball in overcast conditions.

James Anderson’s overall stats make him one of the most legendary pacers of all time. The 37-year-old has picked up 575 wickets in 149 Tests and is seemingly improving with age. One of the best stats of him to cherish is that he dismissed the great Sachin Tendulkar for nine times out of his 14 meetings with him.

He has picked 427 wickets in these ten years in 105 matches and is the only player besides Alastair Cook and Stuart Broad to have played more than 100 Tests in this period.

12th Man – Joe Root