Ex-England cricketers Michael Vaughan, Alastair Cook, and David Lloyd have selected their collaborative all-time greatest Test XI, uniting some of the most iconic figures in the history of the game. This dream team includes legendary players from various cricketing nations, such as India, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Nonetheless, regardless of their extraordinary achievements, neither Virat Kohli nor Rahul Dravid found a spot in the lineup.
Matthew Hayden and Geoffrey Boycott spearhead illustrious batting order
The trio of former English internationals chose a highly potent opening pair of Geoffrey Boycott and Matthew Hayden. Both retired with exceptional statistics in the longest format, as Boycott amassed 8,114 runs alongside 22 hundreds, and Hayden concluded his career with 8,625 runs and 30 centuries.
Jacques Kallis was positioned at number three, providing extra stability to a highly explosive top order. The legendary South African all-rounder compiled over 13,000 runs in Test cricket, featuring 45 hundreds, while also taking 292 wickets over the course of his 166 matches.
West Indian icon Brian Lara and Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar filled the subsequent two slots. Tendulkar continues to stand as the most prolific run-getter in Test history, having racked up nearly 16,000 runs alongside a record-breaking 51 centuries. Meanwhile, Lara holds the eighth spot on the list of all-time run-scorers in Tests, registering 11,953 runs and 34 hundreds.
Garfield Sobers was slotted at number six, injecting another premier all-rounder into the squad. Sobers generated in excess of 8,000 Test runs at an outstanding average of 57.78 and captured 235 wickets across 93 appearances.
Adam Gilchrist and Jasprit Bumrah earn their spots
Ex-Australian wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist rounds out the top seven. Celebrated for his highly destructive batting style, Gilchrist compiled 5,570 Test runs averaging 47.60 with a strike rate of approximately 82 in 96 games. The bowling department showcases a mix of speed and spin, highlighting India’s Jasprit Bumrah as the solitary modern-day active player chosen. The 32-year-old paceman has claimed 234 wickets in 52 Tests with a superb average below 20, achieving 16 five-wicket hauls.
Bumrah is partnered with Pakistani fast-bowling icon Wasim Akram, who bagged 414 wickets at an average of 23.62 throughout his 104 Tests. The spin division is led by two of the most prolific wicket-takers in cricketing history, Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan.
Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid miss out on the exclusive lineup
This selection also indicates there is no room for the former Indian captain Kohli or legendary batsman Dravid. Kohli retired from the Test format last year after amassing over 9,000 runs and 30 hundreds in 123 appearances. Meanwhile, Dravid amassed 13,288 runs and 36 hundreds in his 164 matches, ranking as the fifth most prolific run-scorer in the history of Test cricket. Additionally, Ricky Ponting, Joe Root, and James Anderson were selected as the trio of backup players.
The all-time Test XI selected by Vaughan, Cook, and Lloyd: Matthew Hayden, Geoffrey Boycott, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Garfield Sobers, Adam Gilchrist, Wasim Akram, Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jasprit Bumrah.
Backup players: Ricky Ponting, Joe Root, James Anderson
