Mohammed Youssef – An incredibly difficult player to leave out but the players selected all seem to bring something beyond just their undeniable batting talent, which is where I felt they came in ahead of him.
Selected:
3. Brian Lara – I found it impossible to leave the man who almost single handedly carried the West Indian batting line up so often out. World record scores sealed his selection.
4. Ricky Ponting – The Australian captain will also be my captain due to his vision. His ability to dig his team out of trouble or really turn the screws when on top with equal ease makes him absolutely devastating.
5. Jacques Kallis – The South African not only offers one of the most reliable batsman in the world but also a 5thbowler. This combination of abilities added to his fantastic ability in the slips makes Kallis impossible to leave out.
Middle Order
Close but no cigar:
Steve Waugh – The gritty former Australian captain was a talented batsman but what really made him stand out was his captaincy. But for Ponting, that ability would have got him selected on its own. But the superior batting talent of others keeps him out.
Inzamam ul Haq – One of Pakistan’s greatest batsmen of all time, ul Haq would almost certainly be picked should this World XI require opponents. But the keeper and all rounder requirements from the middle order means no place can be found for him.
Mark Boucher – Worth putting your house on behind the stumps, the world record holding keeper is no mug with the bat but not quite as good as my keeper selected.
Selected:
6. Rahul Dravid – Not strictly a middle order batsman but a player I just could not bring myself to leave out. Between himself, Ponting and Kallis you have the three best test batsmen of the past 10 years.
7. Adam Gilchrist – Australian record breaking keeper gets the nod ahead of Mark Boucher only due to his dynamic style and his undeniable match winning ability. Fantastic with the gloves goes without saying.
8. Shaun Pollock – The tall ginger South African would have a strong claim for this team on the strength of his bowling alone but his batting has the ability to be Pro20 winning explosive or test match saving watchful. This versatility makes Pollock the best all rounder of the last 15 years.
14 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete