Wisden's World Test XI of the 21st century

[Buffet]

Only performances and stats from January 1, 2000 were considered as criteria for selection.

Revealed: Wisden's World Test XI Of The 21st Century | Cricket News Today

At the quarter-way mark through the 21st century, a Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast panel has selected the best Test XI of the century so far.

www.wisden.com

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I think McGrath had enough performance in this period to make the cut and repalce Cummins. Some other names can be marginal case as well, but over all a strong team. List is dominated by Aus and SA cricketers.

What will be your team for this century?

 

[Hikaru]

Absolute perfection this team, couldn't make a better one myself.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Only performances and stats from January 1, 2000 were considered as criteria for selection.


View attachment 157966

Revealed: Wisden's World Test XI Of The 21st Century | Cricket News Today

At the quarter-way mark through the 21st century, a Wisden Cricket Weekly podcast panel has selected the best Test XI of the century so far.

www.wisden.com

------------------

I think McGrath had enough performance in this period to make the cut and repalce Cummins. Some other names can be marginal case as well, but over all a strong team. List is dominated by Aus and SA cricketers.

What will be your team for this century?

Maybe cook over Sehwag. It is a very strong side.

But overall this team could be enhanced for Asian confitions. It is a good XI for SENA conditions.

In Asia you can slot Sanga, Younis and even Jayawardne into the mix.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Also if you exclude 90s wasn't Murali far ahead of Warne in the team period this side is being selected for?

 

[Red-Indian]

Maybe cook over Sehwag. It is a very strong side.

But overall this team could be enhanced for Asian confitions. It is a good XI for SENA conditions.

In Asia you can slot Sanga, Younis and even Jayawardne into the mix.

Tough to make space in that middle order but I can see another spinner (Murali? Ashwin?) in for Asian conditions and Sangakkara over Gilchrist.

 

[Buffet]

Maybe cook over Sehwag. It is a very strong side.

But overall this team could be enhanced for Asian confitions. It is a good XI for SENA conditions.

In Asia you can slot Sanga, Younis and even Jayawardne into the mix.

I think it's for all conditons,

Also, in Asia -

Sehwag - Arguably the best batsman in Asia due to domination and getting on top of great spinners. I think that's why he got picked. He is weak spot outside.

Kaliis - 8 tons in Asia with avg 55+
Smith - 7 tons in Asia with avg 52
AB - 50+ avg with sevral tons
Smith - avg 49
Ponting - I will count as weak spot.


They have Asia covered more or less. May be not the strongest possible line up in Asia, but not really a weakness there. The same line up is pretty good outside Asia as well, so it works. I would have put McGrath instead of Cummins and changed Sehwag as well, but if concern is about Asia then Sehwag is must.

 

[Buffet]

Also if you exclude 90s wasn't Murali far ahead of Warne in the team period this side is being selected for?

I think Warne should get it, a good gap in their away performance in this period.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

I think it's for all conditons,

Also, in Asia -

Sehwag - Arguably the best batsman in Asia due to domination and getting on top of great spinners. I think that's why he got picked. He is weak spot outside.

Kaliis - 8 tons in Asia with avg 55+
Smith - 7 tons in Asia with avg 52
AB - 50+ avg with sevral tons
Smith - avg 49
Ponting - I will count as weak spot.


They have Asia covered more or less. May be not the strongest possible line up in Asia, but not really a weakness there. The same line up is pretty good outside Asia as well, so it works. I would have put McGrath instead of Cummins and changed Sehwag as well, but if concern is about Asia then Sehwag is must.

No major concerns just a small point that you can add other players to the mix for certain conditions. Overall it's a good squad and hard to argue against it. If it is an all condition squad then I would still pick cook over Sehwag but it's not a big deal breaker.

 

[Buffet]

No major concerns just a small point that you can add other players to the mix for certain conditions. Overall it's a good squad and hard to argue against it. If it is an all condition squad then I would still pick cook over Sehwag but it's not a big deal breaker.

Yah, Cook or Hayden as a good replacement. Cook had a great series in India so that's in his favour.

 

[Ab Fan]

Good list but I would make a few changes. Personally loved the fact that they picked Bumrah and AB de Villiers in the team, the better choice in my opinion would be

1.Sangakkara/Root instead of ABD
2. McGrath instead of Bumrah
3. Murali instead of Warne ( post 2000)

 

[SportsWarrior]

Good list but I would make a few changes. Personally loved the fact that they picked Bumrah and AB de Villiers in the team, the better choice in my opinion would be

1.Sangakkara/Root instead of ABD
2. McGrath instead of Bumrah
3. Murali instead of Warne ( post 2000)

Warne was significantly better than Murali in 2000s. Also Root and Sanga won't fit in at 5/6 all that well

 

[Obaidd]

AB played his best at 5 while kallis was a no 4. Both have been selected out of position. For this reason not a great list.

 

[Vikram1989]

I think 2 spots are definitely for contention. Instead of sehwag i will go with Hayden , who did well in sub continent too.cook is good but did nothing when opposition was very tough like ashes 2013, ind 2016 .Ponting is debatable as I think his peak is during 2003 to 2008 . In Asia too ,he was not much successful. I will like bond in place of steyn.He will make every delivery a spectacle.

 

[atreus]

I would pick Cook ahead of Sehwag, a less fundamentally flawed technique in pace heavy conditions. Root or Sangakkara or even 2000s Lara are absolutely clear of De Villiers, I say

Cook
Smith
Ponting*
Smith
Root
Kallis
Gilchrist+
Warne (batting too)
Murali
Steyn
McGrath

 

[Ab Fan]

Warne was significantly better than Murali in 2000s. Also Root and Sanga won't fit in at 5/6 all that well

How? Warne was better in 90s, Murali in 00s.

If you have to not pick out of batting position, ABD at 6 is perfect then.

 

[Obaidd]

How? Warne was better in 90s, Murali in 00s.

If you have to not pick out of batting position, ABD at 6 is perfect then.

Wisden undermined their own list by picking players out of position and not just one. They should have had the guts to pick the players at their position.

 

[globetrotter]

More weigtage given to South african and Australian players... no Virat ? No Eng, NZ, Pakistan and Srl players

 

[atreus]

Warne was significantly better than Murali in 2000s. Also Root and Sanga won't fit in at 5/6 all that well

why won't Root fit at 6

 

[SportsWarrior]

I think Warne should get it, a good gap in their away performance in this period.

View attachment 157968

How? Warne was better in 90s, Murali in 00s.

If you have to not pick out of batting position, ABD at 6 is perfect then.

See their stats above. I watched both their careers from start to finish and Warne was effective even towards his end of career whereas Murali was falling slightly behind. Both strike rates and average are better for Warne

Regarding ABD they have tried pick out reasonable batting positions to everyone.

 

[SportsWarrior]

why won't Root fit at 6

6 needs a more dynamic player who can both dominate old balls and play out second new ball. Someone who can impose themselves like Sobers, ABD, Gilchrist, Pant etc. Root probably wil struggle in that role.

 

[atreus]

6 needs a more dynamic player who can both dominate old balls and play out second new ball. Someone who can impose themselves like Sobers, ABD, Gilchrist, Pant etc. Root probably wil struggle in that role.

What makes De Villiers dominant and not Root when the latter has a higher scoring rate in One Day Cricket?

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

What makes De Villiers dominant and not Root when the latter has a higher scoring rate in One Day Cricket?

Didn’t get you?
De villiers strikes at 100+ , for Joe Root its 87

 

[jeeteshssaxena]

What makes De Villiers dominant and not Root when the latter has a higher scoring rate in One Day Cricket?

Oh you meant Test cricket.

Tbh, its more about ability than just the stat, Root is a number 3 or number 4 batter and I can see Devilliers having more utility at number 6. Otherwise we could have gone with Lara and Tendulkar too, but that number is out of position for them.

 

[atreus]

Oh you meant Test cricket.

Tbh, its more about ability than just the stat, Root is a number 3 or number 4 batter and I can see Devilliers having more utility at number 6. Otherwise we could have gone with Lara and Tendulkar too, but that number is out of position for them.

don't think Tendulkar or Lara would make it considering the stipulation of 2000s only

 

[Bhaijaan]

Wisden just disrespected Sri Lankan cricketing heritage by leaving out Muralitharan and Sangakkara.

Sangakkara’s omission can at least be debated given the stacked batting order. But how do you exclude the leading wicket-taker in Test history? That is indefensible.

On top of that, James Anderson deserves to rank ahead of Cummins. Twice the wickets at an excellent average speaks for itself.

Nothing new. Wisden has a history of bizarre selections, yet still gets needless coverage.

 

[Barragan]

Leaving out guys like Hayden and Cook for Smith And Sehwag?

Cummins and Bumrah ahead of Murli and Anderson? Kallis as the 3rd seamer and Rabada has been much better than Cummins

De Villiers no way should be ahead of Sanga, Kohli, Root, Younis, Dravid or even Pietersen!

1. Hayden
2. Cook
3. Ponting
4. Root/Sanga
5. Smith
6. Kallis
7. Gilchrist
8. Warne
9. Steyn
10. Anderson
11. Murli
12. Bumrah/Rabada

This would be better

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Leaving out guys like Hayden and Cook for Smith And Sehwag?

Cummins and Bumrah ahead of Murli and Anderson? Kallis as the 3rd seamer and Rabada has been much better than Cummins

De Villiers no way should be ahead of Sanga, Kohli, Root, Younis, Dravid or even Pietersen!

1. Hayden
2. Cook
3. Ponting
4. Root/Sanga
5. Smith
6. Kallis
7. Gilchrist
8. Warne
9. Steyn
10. Anderson
11. Murli
12. Bumrah/Rabada

This would be better

What is wrong with including Graeme smith? I think he is better than Cook, Sehwag and Hayden.

 

[Barragan]

What is wrong with including Graeme smith? I think he is better than Cook, Sehwag and Hayden.

He was excellent, but those guys were better

 

[Ab Fan]

Much Like Wasim, de Villiers also has amazing peer reputation and hence he always gets a mention when it comes to listing down great batsman of all time.

His versatility is absolutely outstanding, whether its his performance vs quality pace like Australia on pace friendly home pitches or the ability to shift gears from -10 to +10 and the additional cushion of wicket keeping or ground fielding is what makes him a complete package and different from other specialist batsman.

 

[Buffet]

Cummins and Bumrah ahead of Murli and Anderson?

Anderson shouldn't be even in contention.

For away tests,

Bumrah has 13 5-fers in 35 tests
McGrath has 8 5-fers in 26 tests
Steyn has 9 5-fers in 32 tests

...
...
Anderson 8 5-fers in 76 tests

Bumrah, Mcgrath, Steyn togther - Anderson won't be missed even in Eng.


Warne was just better than Murali in this period. They have done a close to good job with bowlers except excluding McGrath. Batting has more options, but bowlers are pretty much self selecting.

McGrath should have been there instead of Cummins. He bowled better than Cummins home and away both with similar sample size despite Cummins playing in pacers friendly surfaces.






In batting I can see case of Hayden, Cook, Root, Sanga etc. Much closer calls in batting.

 

[Barragan]

Anderson shouldn't be even in contention.

For away tests,

Bumrah has 13 5-fers in 35 tests
McGrath has 8 5-fers in 26 tests
Steyn has 9 5-fers in 32 tests

...
...
Anderson 8 5-fers in 76 tests

Bumrah, Mcgrath, Steyn togther - Anderson won't be missed even in Eng.


Warne was just better than Murali in this period. They have done a close to good job with bowlers except excluding McGrath. Batting has more options, but bowlers are pretty much self selecting.

McGrath should have been there instead of Cummins. He bowled better than Cummins home and away both with similar sample size despite Cummins playing in pacers friendly surfaces.


View attachment 157992



In batting I can see case of Hayden, Cook, Root, Sanga etc. Much closer calls in batting.

Well, I wasn't counting McGrath for this era, but if you do he is easily in there

Anderson was a bit of a late bloomer, but still did an outstanding job

Murli was also outstanding

Looking at just stats away from home is injustice

 

[Buffet]

Well, I wasn't counting McGrath for this era, but if you do he is easily in there

Anderson was a bit of a late bloomer, but still did an outstanding job

Murli was also outstanding

Looking at just stats away from home is injustice

No, you can look at home separately but you will find out that all good bowlers have great stats at home and then one level up is good stats away in addition of home, that's why I shared away.

McGrath should be surely there for this period. He has a very large sample size. Not sure about logic for not having in the XI

 

[TheSultan]

Rabada for Bumrah, and the team is fine

 

[Golu-m]

Rabada for Bumrah, and the team is fine

Thats wisden’s 11 not a random by a Pakistani.
Though rabada definitely better than all bowlers pakistan produced till date in test format.

 

[Obaidd]

Rabada for Bumrah, and the team is fine

That makes sense. Out of all these players in the xi, bumrah has the least number of matches too i.e., less than 50. Flawed inclusion to a flawed list.

 

[atreus]

Rabada is overrated, his away average in Australia and England is 26 even though he has bowled on some of the best bowling pitches ever in England, he got wrecked in England when the going got tough and he has the best home pitches in history to get wickets on, he also sucks in Asia in relevant countries. He has one good tour of Australia and that's all he has to his name.

 

[Buffet]

Rabada is overrated, his away average in Australia and England is 26 even though he has bowled on some of the best bowling pitches ever in England, he got wrecked in England when the going got tough and he has the best home pitches in history to get wickets on, he also sucks in Asia in relevant countries. He has one good tour of Australia and that's all he has to his name.

Performance in tough tours counts a lot more. That's why Marshall,McGrath, Steyn, Bumrah etc gets rated that high by experts. Get couple of MOS in tough tours and you are golden.

Rabada is going to play in India so a great chance to stand out.

 

[TheSultan]

Rabada is overrated, his away average in Australia and England is 26 even though he has bowled on some of the best bowling pitches ever in England, he got wrecked in England when the going got tough and he has the best home pitches in history to get wickets on, he also sucks in Asia in relevant countries. He has one good tour of Australia and that's all he has to his name.

All I read was blah blah, excuse excuse.

Bumrah hasn’t played a single test match in Pakistan - graveyard of fast bowlers.

You want greatness? Chase it.

If he never plays in Pakistan, that’s his problem.

If he really wants to be great, he’s influential enough in Indian cricket to get a tour of Pakistan and SL for that matter.

 

[Obaidd]

Good list but I would make a few changes. Personally loved the fact that they picked Bumrah and AB de Villiers in the team, the better choice in my opinion would be

1.Sangakkara/Root instead of ABD
2. McGrath instead of Bumrah
3. Murali instead of Warne ( post 2000)

1.They are playing AB at 6 so Sanga and Root not fit for that role. I am surprised serious posters like you and others don’t have reservations to selecting players out of position. Objectively only one of players like root, smith, kallis, younis could be selected at 4. AB would be a great choice for number five.

2.Appreciate the objectivity here. For all his wonderful achievements, he still hasn’t played tests vs Pak and played less number of matches than anyone whose name has been mentioned on this thread so far. Not even 50. I am sorry he can’t enter the discussions yet.

3.I’ve never been able to pick one over the other. Would go for two spinners lol. But yes Murali because it’s post 2000

 

[AZulfi]

Rabada is overrated, his away average in Australia and England is 26 even though he has bowled on some of the best bowling pitches ever in England, he got wrecked in England when the going got tough and he has the best home pitches in history to get wickets on, he also sucks in Asia in relevant countries. He has one good tour of Australia and that's all he has to his name.

Bowling average of 26 is pretty decent

< 25 is great. 26-29 is decent

Anderson who played a significant majority of his test matches on seam-friendly English pitches has a career average of 26.45! And his test bowling average in Australia is 35.46 (now that is crap!)

However Jimmy’s bowling average improved significantly after he got older. After turning 35, 220 wickets at 22.86

 

[atreus]

All I read was blah blah, excuse excuse.

Bumrah hasn’t played a single test match in Pakistan - graveyard of fast bowlers.

You want greatness? Chase it.

If he never plays in Pakistan, that’s his problem.

If he really wants to be great, he’s influential enough in Indian cricket to get a tour of Pakistan and SL for that matter.

I'm not Asian, therefore I don't give a **** about your politics and biased downplay of each other's cricketers, please keep your biases to yourself.

 

[atreus]

Bowling average of 26 is pretty decent

< 25 is great. 26-29 is decent

Anderson who played a significant majority of his test matches on seam-friendly English pitches has a career average of 26.45! And his test bowling average in Australia is 35.46 (now that is crap!)

However Jimmy’s bowling average improved significantly after he got older. After turning 35, 220 wickets at 22.86

26 is decent on surface yes but Rabada has gotten some of the best bowling pitches ever in England. Rabada averaged 28 with the ball in 2017 South Africa tour of England, the bowling average of that series was 26. Rabada averaged 23 in the 2022 South Africa tour of England, the bowling average of the series was 20, he was okay on both tours but should've done much better considering the green mambas he got.

Jimmy is a different case, he was terrible before 2010 because ECB tampered with his action, he retured to his original action in 2009-10 and developed reverse swing and wobble seam and from 2010-2022 he was one of the leading bowlers in the world, except for one Ashes where he had broken ribs, though I don't consider Anderson a true ATG anyway, perhaps for ceremonial purposes.

 

[Ab Fan]

1.They are playing AB at 6 so Sanga and Root not fit for that role. I am surprised serious posters like you and others don’t have reservations to selecting players out of position. Objectively only one of players like root, smith, kallis, younis could be selected at 4. AB would be a great choice for number five.

2.Appreciate the objectivity here. For all his wonderful achievements, he still hasn’t played tests vs Pak and played less number of matches than anyone whose name has been mentioned on this thread so far. Not even 50. I am sorry he can’t enter the discussions yet.

3.I’ve never been able to pick one over the other. Would go for two spinners lol. But yes Murali because it’s post 2000

Batting position matters when picking an opener or middle order but a slight drop or push in batting position don’t really affect the calibre of a player.

Root in early part of his career batted at 5, below Ian Bell and he was doing great there. Recall Ashes 2015, he was the best batsman in the team and after Johnson was continuously troubling Cook and Bell and putting England 2-3 down early on, Root would come and build a solid partnership at a good clip. He was batting really well at that position and his record is good too.

In a 21st century test XI, I reckon Ponting, Kallis, Smith, Sangakkara and Root are the five best batsmen of this millennium. Dravid is probably 6th best and then Tendulkar and Lara.

The best batsman to pick at #3 is Ponting, #4 is Steve Smith. Now, Gilchrist is at 7 so that means I must pick an all rounder in my team and Kallis is a mandatory selection in this team. This leaves us with one slot for either Root, Sangakkara or ABD.

I don’t need a keeper because I have Gilchrist who can do whatever I expect AB to do in my team. If I pick Root at 5 and Kallis at 6, I get two consistent batsman who can play long innings and can take a bit of load from my 4 main bowlers- Kallis as a seam bowler and Root as off spinner. AB was a superb fielder but honestly I won’t need his counter-attacking batting with Gilchrist already in the team and his defensive batting is not needed either because Kallis and Smith are better defensive batsman( tighter technique ) than him.

 

[Buffet]

26 is decent on surface yes but Rabada has gotten some of the best bowling pitches ever in England. Rabada averaged 28 with the ball in 2017 South Africa tour of England, the bowling average of that series was 26. Rabada averaged 23 in the 2022 South Africa tour of England, the bowling average of the series was 20, he was okay on both tours but should've done much better considering the green mambas he got.

Yah, Rabada needs to outperform his peers in tough tours few times.

 

[TheSultan]

I'm not Asian, therefore I don't give a **** about your politics and biased downplay of each other's cricketers, please keep your biases to yourself.

Who are you?

 

[Barragan]

No, you can look at home separately but you will find out that all good bowlers have great stats at home and then one level up is good stats away in addition of home, that's why I shared away.

McGrath should be surely there for this period. He has a very large sample size. Not sure about logic for not having in the XI

McGrath played more games in the 90's!

Why should home and away be looked at separately?

I posted stats that were both home and away combined

You can see how great the likes of Anderson and Murli were

 

[Buffet]

McGrath played more games in the 90's!

Why should home and away be looked at separately?

I posted stats that were both home and away combined

You can see how great the likes of Anderson and Murli were

Because many have great career stats due to HTB and not really that great of a player. Seeing separately makes it obvious.

About McGrath, it hardly matters how much he played in 90s. Only critetion was his performance in 00s and he has it with a very large sample size.