All-Time Greatest Test XI

Predicting an all-time greatest Test XI team is a tough task as Test cricket has a long history and there have been many players who excelled with the bat and ball in the longest format of the game.  The Test is a totally different form of cricket than the ODIs or T20I, witnessing an unlimited number of overs and two innings in every match.

Things like strike rate in batting and economy rate in bowling are crucial factors in limited-over cricket, but they do not matter when we consider Test cricket.

At present, there are only 12 countries that have international Test status by ICC. They are Australia, England, India, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, and Ireland. Afghanistan and Ireland are the latest members who got Test status in 2017.

The history of Test cricket is more than 100 years old, with the first Test match played between Australia and England in 1877 in Melbourne Cricket Stadium, Australia. Over the years, many batsmen and bowlers have dominated the Test format with their exceptional performances. In this listicle, we try to form a team of all-time greatest Test XI.

All-Time Greatest Test XI

Alastair Cook

Former England cricketer Alastair Cook will be a great option for the opener in the all-time greatest Test XI team. The former England skipper is among the finest openers in Test cricket. The left-handed batsman played 161 Test matches for England from 2006 to 2018.

In 291 innings, he smashed 12,472 runs at an average of 45.35. The former English opener also smacked 33 centuries and 57 half-centuries in his Test career. Cook also hit 5 double centuries in his Test career, out of which the highest knock was 294 runs. Cook is also the 5^th highest run-scorer in Tests overall.

Sunil Gavaskar

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar should be the other opener in the team of all-time greatest Test XI. During the 70’s and 80s, Gavaskar was a star batsman in international cricket as well as for India. The right-handed batsman played 125 Tests matches for India from 1971 to 1987.

In 214 innings, the opening batsman mustered 10,122 runs at an average of 51.12. The former Indian skipper also smashed 34 centuries and 45 half-centuries in Tests, out of which 4 were double tons. His highest knock in Test cricket was a double century of unbeaten 236 runs.

Don Bradman

Don Bradman should be the no.3 batsman in the team of all-time greatest Test XI. The former Aussie cricketer and captain played for Australia from 1928 to 1948, when there were only Test matches played in international cricket. Don Bradman is considered the greatest batsman of the 20th century due to his spectacular batting stats.

Don played 52 Tests for Australia and in just 80 innings, he smashed 6996 runs at an astonishing batting average of 99.94. The right-handed batsman smashed 29 centuries and 13 half-centuries in Tests, including 12 double centuries. His highest knock in Tests was a triple century of 334 runs.

Viv Richards (Captain)

Viv Richards should be captain of the team of all-time greatest Test 11. He is one of the most successful captains in Test cricket according to win percentage. He led West Indies in 50 Tests, winning 27 and losing only 8. There were 15 matches that ended in a draw.

The former West Indies skipper was also phenomenal with the bat. He mustered 8580 runs in 182 Test innings. The Caribbean cricketer also shattered 24 centuries and 45 fifties, out of which there were 3 double hundreds. His highest Test score was a 291-run knock.

Rahul Dravid

For another middle-order batsman in the team of all-time greatest XI, Rahul Dravid should be selected. The former Indian skipper is arguably the best Test batsman for Indian cricket. Dravid played 164 Tests for India from 1996 to 2002. In 286 innings, he muttered 12,228 runs at an average of 52.31 and is the 4th highest run-scorer in Test cricket.

The right-handed batsman also smacked 36 hundreds and 63 fifties in his Test career, out of which there 5 were double centuries. His highest Test knock was 270. With his patient batting approach and ability to safeguard his wicket, Dravid was considered an exceptional batsman in Tests.

Kumar Sangakkara (Wicket-Keeper)

For the wicket-keeper batsman in the team of all-time greatest Test XI, Kumar Sangakkara will be the best option. The former Sri Lanka cricketer is the 6th highest run-scorer in Test cricket. The wicketkeeper-batsman played 134 Tests for Sri Lanka and piled up 12400 runs in 233 innings at an average of 57.40.

The left-handed batsman also smacked 38 centuries and 52 fifties in Tests. Sangakkara smacked 11 double centuries and 1 triple century, the latter also being his highest knock of 319 runs.

 Jacques Kallis

For the all-rounder in the team of all-time greatest Test XI, Jacques Kallis will be the perfect cricketer to select. The former South African cricketer is still considered one of the top all-rounders in international cricket. Kallis played 166 Test matches from 1995 to 2013. In 280 innings, he piled up 13,289 runs at an average of 55.37. Kallis is the 3rd highest run-scorer in Test cricket.

The right-handed batsman also smacked 45 centuries and 58 half-centuries in Tests, including 2 double centuries. The right-arm seamer also picked 292 wickets in his career at an average of 32.65. His best bowling figure in an innings was 6/54 while in a match was 9/92.

James Anderson

For the primary pacer in the all-time greatest Test XI, English player James Anderson should be selected. The England bowler is the highest wicket-taker among pacers in Test cricket and 4th highest overall. The right-arm pacer has picked 617 wickets in 162 Test matches at an average of 26.67.

The 38-year-old has picked five-wicket hauls 30 times and ten-wicket hauls 3 times in Tests. His best bowling figure in an innings is 7/42 while in a match is 11/71.

Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn should be another pacer in the team of all-time greatest Test XI. The South African pacer was the most dangerous pacer in international cricket during his peak. With his deadly yorkers, he turned out to be a nightmare for many batsmen.

In 93 Tests for South Africa, the right-arm pacer scalped 439 wickets at an average of 22.95. Steyn is also the 8th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. He accounts for five-wicket hauls 26 times and ten-wicket hauls 5 times during his Test career.

Courtney Walsh

Former West Indies pacer Courtney Walsh is another pacer who makes up for the team of all-time greatest Test XI. The former West Indies pacer played 132 Tests from 1984 to 2001. The right-arm pacer scalped 519 wickets in Tests at an average of 24.44.

Walsh is the 7th highest wicket-taker in Test cricket. He accounts for 22 five-wicket hauls and 3 ten-wicket hauls in his Test career. His best bowling figures in an innings was 7/37 while in a match was 13/55.

Muttiah Muralitharan

For the spin bowler in the team of all-time greatest Test XI, Muttiah Muralitharan should be the bowler to look out for. The former Sri Lankan spinner is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, with 800 wickets in 133 games. The off-spinner played for Sri Lanka from 1992 to 2010.

The right-arm spinner had a bowling average of 22.72 and picked 67 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket hauls. His best bowling figures in an innings were 9/51 and in a match was 16/220. Muralitharan’s bowling stats in Test cricket totally justifies him to be one of the members of the all-time greatest Test XI.