Herschelle Gibbs Picks His All-Time South Africa ODI & Test XI

Herschelle Gibbs is one of the best opening batsman and one of the all-time great fielders that South Africa has ever produced. Gibbs, who featured in 90 Tests, 248 One-day Internationals and 23 T20Is, scored more than 14000 runs and racked up 35 International tons during his decade long career.

Gibbs, who is an ever-constant on social media, frequently engages with fans via the Question-Answer session. The right-hander did the same on Sunday (May 03) where one of the fans asked him to name his all-time South African Test and ODI XI.

Gibbs named a combined Test and ODI XI and while the batting-unit and the wicket-keeper slot consisted of usual suspects in Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, AB de Villiers and Mark Boucher, it was his selection of bowlers that left everyone scratching their heads.

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Makhaya Ntini and Kagiso Rabada do not find place in his all-time South African Test and ODI XI

Three of the four bowling options in ‘white lightning’ Alan Donald, Shaun Pollock and Dale Steyn were automatic pics, the fact that Gibbs left out Makhaya Ntini and Kagiso Rabada and picked Brett Schultz, is surely going to turn a lot of heads.

Gibbs gave his reasons behind his selection.

“Team is for both Tests and ODIs. Can’t have all right-arm bowlers. No variety, so you need Schultz, and he was devastating in all conditions,” Gibbs reasoned for the inclusion of Schultz’s selection.

For the uninitiated, Brett Schultz played nine Tests and one One-day International between 1992 to 1997 where his career was threatened by brutal injuries.

Another interesting choice from Herschelle Gibbs’s all-time Test and ODI XI is the exclusion of former South African captain Hansie Cronje. Cronje is one of the greatest captains that the world of cricket has ever seen but the South African’s legacy was tainted after he was found complicit in the 2000 match-fixing scandal.

Herschelle Gibbs’ all-time South Africa Test and ODI XI:

Graeme Smith, Gary Kirsten, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, Daryll Cullinan, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Allan Donald, Brett Schultz

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