World Test Championship: Overall XI
The ICC had announced in 2017 that there will be a World Cup for Test Matches, and here it is, with the two finalists, India and New Zealand, in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship. In this two-year cycle,we have witnessed grit, determination, passion, miracles, and heartbreaks. Most importantly, a draw was celebrated as a win, with the examples being the heist at SCG and the Lord’s in 2019. It threw some players into dire situations, out of which few emerged successful. The following are the 12 players(Including 12th man) who form the final XI of World Test Championship.
The players are chosen based on how valuable they have been in crunch situations, irrespective of playing conditions.
OPENERS:
Rohit Sharma(IND) — Innings: 17, Runs: 1030, Average: 64.37
Consistency in white ball — tick. Captaincy in white ball — tick. The only thing that might have bothered Rohit Sharma that time was how he would adapt to the test format, after mixed fortunes in the middle order. His promotion to the top of the order is a blessing in disguise, as he blasted his way to three centuries vs South Africa. Despite not contributing much in the Australian series, his off stump awareness was on point, and the cherry on the cake was when he scored a vital 161 on a rank turner at Chepauk, which set the tone for a come-from-behind series victory over England.
Dimuth Karunaratne(SL) — Innings: 18, Runs: 999, Average: 55.5
The value of player is known when he scores runs under pressure, and Dimuth Karunaratne has scored valuable runs albeit at a losing cause mostly. His 100 on a 5th day Galle surface against New Zealand chasing 268 had him playing the ball on its merit, and excellent off stump awareness. He is the only silver lining in an otherwise disappointing campaign for Sri Lanka.
MIDDLE ORDER:
Marnus Labuschagne(AUS) — Innings: 23, Runs: 1675, Average: 72.82
Probably the automatic choice in the present in any XI, his entrance into the WTC was unlikely: by becoming the first concussion substitute, replacing Steve Smith. What he did afterwards was the thing any player would love to do: Playing long innings, and thriving under pressure. He thrived under pressure in the Ashes, while he played the long innings in Australia’s magnificent home summer against New Zealand and Pakistan. He was clearly the best batsman in India’s greatest overseas series victories, scoring two hundreds.
Steve Smith(AUS) — Innings: 22, Runs:1341, Average: 63.85
I had a toss up between Joe Root and Steve Smith for No 4, but the value for runs clearly favored Smith, who, in the Ashes 2019, scripted one of the greatest comeback stories you’d ever see. He silenced all the “boos” from the Barmy Army. If not for the pandemic and the subsequent SA tour being cancelled, I would have personally loved to see more of Smith scoring 100s for fun.
Joe Root(ENG) — Innings: 37, Runs: 1660, Average: 47.42
Joe Root, is one of the most gifted players in England. He is one of the players who is good at what he does. He has this gift of timing and elegance, and when they come together, he is one of the most stylish batsman you will ever see. He has played a number of match winning innings, but his best innings were the 228 he scored against SL on a minefield in Galle, and a stroke-filled 218 against India on a searing Chennai heat.
ALL ROUNDER:
Ben Stokes(ENG) — Innings: 32, Runs: 1334, Average: 46(BAT), Innings: 24, Wickets: 34, Average: 26.26(BOWL)
No prizes for guessing who will be the All rounder in your XI, as he will always be in that XI. He runs in hard, bowls the hard spells, and takes wickets at crucial junctures. He also bats deep, takes on the opposition with his calculated yet aggressive hitting, and is a threat to any opposition. More than that, he can be that X-factor player every team looks out to. His 135 in the Ashes is a life lesson on “how not to give up”.
WICKETKEEPER:
Rishabh Pant(IND) — Innings: 18, Runs: 662, Average: 41.37, Catches: 35, Stumpings: 5
More than being a proper wicket keeper, his journey through this World Test Championship is a stuff of champion. Considered only for the away leg earlier, his improvement in keeping even in home conditions has come at the confidence of doing well with the willow. Especially in the last 6–7 months, where anything he touched, turned into gold. Be it the 97 against Australia on a day 5 SCG pitch, or a match winning 89 at Gabba, he transformed from an youngster who throws his wickets, to a responsible youngster.
BOWLERS:
Ravichandran Ashwin(IND) — Innings:24, Wickets: 67, Average: 20.88
“No matter whichever player you take, but take Ashwin as the bowling all-rounder” was the mantra said by me to myself, ahead of this blog. A clear winner on all counts, Ashwin was instrumental in India’s home summer against England, taking 32 wickets and scoring 189 runs. He is one of the wounded lions who was part of the SCG heist, scoring 39 valuable runs but importantly, staying till the end. With Ashwin, what you will get is calm demeanor and a fighting spirit of the champion.
Pat Cummins(AUS) — Innings: 28, Wickets: 70, Average: 21.02
If you are taking a three-prong pace attack, you need to be having a workhorse bowler who bowls long spells tirelessly. Pat Cummins is that kind of bowler, who clocks 140+ consistently even in long spells. He has this deadly accuracy, and a strong mindset to comeback even after being wicketless in the previous spells. He ensures that the pressure is always on the opposition through his accurate bowling.
Stuart Broad(ENG) — Innings: 32, Wickets: 69, Average: 20.08
Another bowler whom I always admire. He uses his height really well, and hits the deck hard, extracting extra bounce of the surface. He also uses his wrists and seam movement to good use, getting the ball to move a touch late. Like Cummins, Broad is also an accurate bowler, bowling long spells economically.
Tim Southee(NZ) — Innings: 20, Wickets: 51, Average: 20.66
A genuine swing bowler, Southee can rattle batting lineups when the condition is a little overcast, and can swing the ball both the ways with pin point accuracy. His 14 wickets against India on a greenish surface shows how he can utilize the conditions well. An excellent slip fielder, Southee can take catches out of nowhere with his reflexes.
12th MAN: Babar Azam(PAK) — Innings: 17, Runs: 932, Average: 66.57
Currently the No 1 batsman in ODI, Babar Azam continues to impress everyone with his eye candy shots. He was the only consolation in Pakistan’s disastrous tour of Australia, where he was a treat to the eyes. More things can be expected from him in the second cycle too.
