Wisden’s ‘One from Each Team’ World Test XI

Choosing an all-time Test XI is one of cricket’s favorite debates. Choosing one with the added caveat that every Test nation must be represented is even trickier.

The challenge is not simply to identify the greatest player from each country. In many cases, the biggest question is whether you choose the best individual cricketer or the one who best fits the XI. Should South Africa’s place go to Jacques Kallis, one of the greatest all-rounders in history, or Dale Steyn, whose pace would better balance the attack? Is Sri Lanka represented by Muttiah Muralitharan’s record wicket tally or Kumar Sangakkara’s mountain of runs? And is Sachin Tendulkar missing?

Also Read: Wisden’s All-Time Test XI, ‘Master of All Conditions’

With these dilemmas in mind, we have selected an all-time Test XI featuring one player from each Test nation. The result is a team that attempts to strike a balance between individual greatness and team building, even if it means leaving out some of the most famous names in football.

Sunil Gavaskar (India) 10,122 runs at 51.12, 100 s: 34

One of the greatest openers the game has produced, he retired as the highest run-scorer in Test history and was the first batter to cross the 10,000-run mark. Against the West Indies, home to some of the most feared pace attacks ever assembled, he scored 2,749 runs at 65.45, including 13 centuries. His legendary debut series in 1971 yielded 774 runs in four Tests, which remains a record for a debut series. An opener in the true sense of the term, he brings both solidity and pedigree to the top of the order. While it is not easy to rule out Sachin Tendulkar, Gavaskar’s credentials as a specialist opener ultimately tip the scales. In a team full of middle-order greats, his presence provides both balance and pedigree at the top of the order.

Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh) 5,134 runs at 38.89, 100 s: 10

Bangladesh’s top Test scorer until overtaken by Mushfiqur Rahim, Tamim Iqbal averaged almost 40 as an opener despite spending much of his career in a developing Test team. He produced several memorable innings such as his 206 against Pakistan and his two hundreds against Zimbabwe in 2009. Shakib Al Hasan is the obvious alternative as Bangladesh’s greatest Test cricketer, but with the XI already boasting several all-rounders and a dearth of specialist openers, Tamim’s role at the top of the order ultimately gives him the edge.

Don Bradman (Australia) 6,996 runs at 99.94, 100:29

Widely regarded as the greatest hitter in cricket history, he finished with 6,996 runs at a barely believable average of 99.94, a feat still unrivaled. He scored 29 centuries in just 52 Tests, including 12 double hundreds and two triple hundreds, and comfortably remains the most dominant batter the format has seen. Australia has a host of all-time greats, from Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting to Glenn McGrath and Steve Smith, but none have a strong enough claim to dislodge Bradman from the Australian spot and this team’s No. 3 position.

Joe Root (England) 13,952* runs at 50.73, 100 s: 41

England’s leading Test scorer, Root thrived in all conditions, becoming the defining England Test batter of the modern era. His record in Asia, where he amassed over 2,500 runs with an average of 48.11, further strengthens his case. Sir Jack Hobbs averaged 56.94 and remains one of the best openers in the history of the game, but Root’s longevity and consistency are hard to ignore.

Brian Lara (West Indies) 11,953 runs at 52.88, 100:34

The West Indies’ all-time Test run-scorer, Lara remains the only batter to have reclaimed the record for the highest individual Test score, with his unbeaten 400 against England in 2004. He also has the highest first-class score of all time, 501 not out, underlining his ability to deliver monumental innings. West Indies have no shortage of suitors, from Viv Richards and Garry Sobers to Malcolm Marshall and Curtly Ambrose, but with a team already boasting a world-class bowling attack, Lara’s ability to fill a specialist middle-order role ultimately gives him the edge.

Andy Flower (Zimbabwe) 4,794 runs at 51.54, 100 sec: 12

As a specialist keeper, Flower had an average of 53.70, comfortably the highest among specialist wicketkeepers with over 2,500 Tests. His peak was extraordinary: between January 2000 and December 2001, he scored 1,944 runs at 84.52, including a career-best 232 without a match against India. He is ahead of Kumar Sangakkara in the XI, who has a superior overall record, with almost 12,500 Test runs and an average above 57, but Flower’s selection allows Sri Lanka’s place on Muttiah Muralitharan to be used. On a team already loaded with batting talent, this combination ultimately provides better balance.

Imran Khan (Pakistan) – Captain 3,807 runs at 37.69, 100s:6 | 362 wickets at 22.81, 5-fors: 23

One of the greatest all-rounders the game has seen, Khan transformed himself from an absolute fast bowler into a true force with the bat over the course of his career. At his peak, he was among the best fast bowlers in the world, capable of deciding matches on any surface. Pakistan’s rich Test history offers several alternatives, including Wasim Akram, Javed Miandad and Younis Khan, but none combine skills like Imran. His presence strengthens both the batting and bowling departments, while his stature as one of the most influential leaders in cricket makes him the natural choice to lead the team.

Richard Hadlee (New Zealand) 431 wickets at 22.29, five for: 36 | 3,124 executions at 27.16.100 sec: 2

New Zealand’s greatest fast bowler became the first player in Test history to reach the 400-wicket mark despite playing just 86 matches. He also contributed valuable lower-order runs, including two Test centuries, and was often brought in to spearhead New Zealand’s attack almost single-handedly. The choice for New Zealand’s best Test player was between Hadlee and Kane Williamson, whose track record makes him a formidable alternative, with over 9,000 Tests with an average above 50 and a strong claim to being New Zealand’s best ever batter. However, in a team already blessed with Bradman, Root, Lara and Flower, Hadlee’s ability to lead the fast-paced attack ultimately proves more valuable.

Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) 45 wickets at 8:44 p.m., five for: 5

Afghanistan’s greatest cricketer and the driving force behind their rise in world cricket, he has already produced a remarkable Test record. However, his place is far from simple. Rashid last played a Test over a year and a half ago, with recurring back problems forcing him to cut back on his Test commitments, and he has openly admitted that he is unlikely to feature regularly in the format in the future, even suggesting that he might limit himself to around one Test a year. Rahmat Shah, Afghanistan’s leading Test scorer, makes a stronger case for inclusion as an opener. Yet Rashid’s impact on the history of cricket in Afghanistan and his ability to provide a world-class second wicket-taking option alongside Muttiah Muralitharan ultimately proves decisive.

Dale Steyn (South Africa) 439 wickets at 22.95, five for: 26

South Africa could rightly have been represented by Jacques Kallis, Graeme Smith or even AB de Villiers, but the balance of the team ultimately tips the balance in favor of its greatest fast bowler. He had the fourth highest average of all fast bowlers with over 400 Test wickets and combined high pace with prodigious swing and reverse swing. Between 2008 and 2014, he was the world’s best quick, topping the ICC rankings for a record 263 consecutive weeks. Leaving out Kallis, one of the greatest all-rounders in history, is not an easy decision, but with Bradman, Root, Lara and Flower already anchored with the bat, Steyn’s ability to run a fearsome attack alongside Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee and Muttiah Muralitharan ultimately supersedes Kallis’ overall credentials in this team.

Muttiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) 800 wickets at 22.72, 5-fors: 67

Sri Lanka offers several all-time great options, such as Kumar Sangakkara or Mahela Jayawardene, as choices in the XI, but Muralidaran’s selection is one of the easier choices. He retired as the highest wicket-taker in Test history, a record which still stands comfortably among his peers. In a career spanning 133 Tests, he produced 67 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket match hauls, repeatedly dismantling batting line-ups in all conditions. While Sangakkara’s scores place him among the greatest hitters of the modern era, the presence of several elite middle-order options in this XI means that Sri Lanka’s slot is best utilized on a genuine strike bowler. Muralitharan’s unrivaled wicket-taking record and ability to cut through teams makes him an automatic choice.

The exclusion of Ireland is a structural necessity rather than a judgment on talent. While the XI requires representation from every Test participating nation, Ireland’s relatively brief history in the format means they are yet to have a player whose Test record rivals that of more established teams.

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