International Cricket: My World XI (Test Matches)

Test Match cricket will always be the true test of a player's abilities. It gives the true picture of the skill, temperament and fitness of the individual.

Although T20 cricket has helped to introduce the game to an entire new audience, most players would agree with the notion that to succeed in Test Match cricket is still their ultimate aim.

Here is a list of the best XI in the world at this point in time.

Alistair Cook

Not the most elegant batsman you will come across, but boy is he effective! He seemed to have a problem with his technique earlier in his career, but, after spending countless hours on the training ground, he seems to have ironed it out.

The best thing about Alistair is the fact that he bats the same way regardless of if he is on 15 or 150. It just goes to show that he takes nothing for granted and, for a batsman, that is one of the key characteristics you should ensure.

Hashim Amla

The South African has emerged as one of the most successful batsmen in recent years with consistent performances wherever he plays.

Three years earlier, one would have never expected him to be a regular in the South African team but now, I feel he puts a good case to be considered one of the most talented batsmen in the modern era.

Kumar Sangakarra

Probably the toughest spot to fill as most teams in the world go by the notion that they want their best batsman to play in the No.3 position, but Sangakarra gets the nod purely due to the added factor of being a top-class wicket keeper too.

Kumar could make it into any team in the world purely on the basis of his batting ability, and the fact that he is a genuine wicket-keeper just put way too much pressure on me to include him in my team.

Sachin Tendulkar

God. 'Nuff said!

Mahela Jayawardene

If ever you could call a cricketer an artist, Jayawardene would come to mind. He has everything that is needed to succeed, especially in the subcontinent.

Probably the best player against spin in the world right now, when Jayawardene bats, one can't help but wonder how he seems to have so much time to play his shots.

Michael Hussey

Mr. Cricket made a rather late entry into international cricket but when he did enter, he seemed to be on the way to great things. However, he endured a difficult period three years into his career and was even dropped by the Australian team.

However, he has come back with a bang over the last year and his strength lies in his ability to pick the gaps in the field to maneuver the singles and doubles.

Stuart Broad

The new England T20 captain has improved immensely over the last year or so. He has also developed his batting, which would help any team to play an extra bowler as he can now be considered a genuine all-rounder.

Broad must continue to pitch the ball as far up the pitch as he can to continue to achieve the sort of success that he has experienced over the past few series.

Graeme Swann

The best off-spin bowler in the world by quite a yard at present, Swann has proved that an off-spin bowler can be used as a potent weapon in any condition.

He is a genuine match winner and even though he does not use his doosra, he still causes even the best of batsmen plenty of problems with his smart pace variations.

Dale Steyn

The best pace bowler in the world of cricket for the past few years, Steyn has showed the world how a bowler can cause batsmen so many problems just by maintaining such a good line and length.

He has enjoyed great success, essentially by keeping himself fit, and must give plenty of nightmares even to the best of batsmen.

Lasith Malinga

Most people would argue that a player like Malinga is best suited to the shorter format of the game, but anyone who can hit the wickets at that pace on such a regular basis must be worth more than that.

Malinga has showed the world that he can be successful wherever he plays, and he just doesn't get bored of bowling yorker after yorker.

His slingy action has caused batsmen plenty of problems, but I think more than that, it's been his street-smart nature of mixing up his pace so well and making something out of nothing that has enabled him to be regarded as one of the most dangerous bowlers in the world.

Zaheer Khan

His brand of medium pace bowling would help add some more variety to this bowling attack. Menacing against left-handed batsmen and reasonably effective against the right-handed batsmen too, Zaheer has shown the world that you don't have to possess express pace to trouble the batsmen.

An extremely wily customer, Zaheer has had injury concerns throughout his career, but when on song, there are very few batsmen who could play him out without getting troubled.