World cricket's test XI - agree to disagree...

Here is a list of my current world test XI, with brief reasoning for each of choices. Cricket is funny old game, with selection head aches that just don't present themselves in other sports. My selection is not just based on current form, but overall class, and of course i have tried to pick a team that could be a cohesive unit. Reader's thoughts, as ever, are what matter.....Thank you

Graeme Smith

The man to face the opening ball. His technique may not be pretty, nor does he hold the same arsenal of shots as contemparies like Strauss or Sehwag. But what he does have is temprement, the ability to see off the new ball and can send anything short of a length crashing over mid-wicket...

Ghautam Gambhir

The opposite to Smith, less brawn, more wristy, and able to manouvre a ball rather than punish it. When boundaries become occasional, he can still finds the gaps and has over the past two years played some pivotal knocks towards India's growing test reputation...

Ricky Ponting

He can come across as marmite thanks to his lofty persona, but deep down the punter is a hard grafter, who has the strokeplay, matchplay and abiltiy to forge partnerships. The perfect number three, who just about foils Younis Khan to the position, and although he may have just loss the ashes (God only knows how judging by the stats) my money is firmly on him regaining them down under...

He is also the sides captain.

Mohammad Yousuf

Despite a lul in Pakistan's test cricket exploits in the past year or so, the elegant, serene, seemingly untroubled Yousuf appears sometimes to be playing a differnt game to the rest of us. The man is by all means a run machine, and his record breaking year of 2007 goes some way to proving that. Pakistan have a very schedule ahead of them in 2010, and like a river, the runs are expected to flow from Yousuf's bat...

AB De Villiers

On his way to becoming potentially the best all-round batsman in the world? many think so. De Villiers has matured wonderfully over the past two years. His stroke play appears unfussed and he hits the ball as clean as anyone. Furthermore, like most Saffers, he is built from strong stuff and has extreme focus, which is why he, for me, is ahead of Kevin Peitersen...

Michael Clarke

Like the man at 5, Clarke continues to grow as a batsman and if De Villiers is not soon the world's top batsman, then Clarke could well be. An excellent timer of the ball, who likes to play his shots on the floor. An excellent fielder and an intelligent brain. Also, Clarke can bowl some very handy spin. A cricketer's cricketer who would be higher up the order if there were others with less experience....

Mark Boucher

WIth six top level batsmen, all of whom are regular century makers, the wicket keepers spot goes to Boucher, who for me, despite people questioning his reflexes of late, remains the best all round gloveman and an excellent finisher. Like Sangakarra, who just misses out, if allowed to play as pure batsman in his career, would definetely have a much higher average. Still Boucher can score runs, and work very well with the tail...

Mitchell Johnson

Speaking of tails, no tail could be started off better than with the presence of Mitchell Johnson who has shown test cricket that he is an athletic batsman, capable of smashing late runs even when legends batting further up have at times failed. An excellent bowler too, albeit not at his best in the Ashes of 09, his performance in South Africa before underline how good he can be. Plus, left arm quicks are very useful. In twelve months time however, he could lose his place in this list to Mohammad Aamer...

Dale Steyn

The Steyn remover is quick, tall, menancing and a full throttle bowler, something that every team needs. The conistency of his form and the fact he remains first choice among Ntini Morkel and Co, is proof of just how good he is. Other speedsters, Bond, Lee and even a fully fit Akhtar at this moment in time would not come close to the South African...

Mohammad Asif

Arguably my most contreversial pick. The returning Asif should have question marks over his fitness, abiltiy and desire after such a lengthy absence. But a few deliveries in the recent champions trophy are proof enough that he will regularly find the top of batsmen's off stumps in the coming year. No other seam bowler currently manages to make batsmen feel so insecure about driving away from the body, a peach of a bowler...

Muttiah Muralitharan

No spinner in world cricket has more variation than Murali, nor does any other threaten to take as many five wicket hauls. An artist with his fingers, he is capable, like Warne, of ensuring that a team only needs one spinner and can still comfortably take twenty wickets. Watch out for the doosra, and don't foret the theesra...

To sum up....

Two Pakistanis that have played little test cricket? Too much Southern hemisphere, and some players selected despite losing their last series and displaying indifferent form. Your thoughts and scrutiny are what matter...