Team of the Future: The world's best XI in 2020

Very often do we hear the commentators cry “The future of cricket is in safe hands”, after a young lad showcases his passion for the team and game with a top class performance.The modern day game is loaded with fresh blood and blistering talent who give us a not a glimmer, but a bright beam of hope that the fore coming days of cricket shall be fruitful. Five years from now on, new stars shall be dominating the game and who would be those stars is what we all would love to know.And how pleasing would it be to witness those future stars play together as a single team? So, here are the 11 players who would be the best choices to form the future team of the year 2020.

#1 Quinton de Kock (wicket-keeper)

The young South African will be our wicket-keeper

After Mark Boucher’s unfortunate exit, in came the school boy like looking de Kock, as a wicket-keeper batsman. The explosive opener has successfully staged his talent with the bat and gloves in the games he has played.

The 22-year-old prodigy slowly climbed up the ranks to equal Viv Richards’ record of the fastest to reach 1000 runs in ODI cricket. He dominated India single-handedly with the bat during the latter’s tour in 2013, signaling that he is not an ordinary wicket-keeper batsman as many think.

Having made a decent start to his career in Tests as well, the Proteas would be overwhelmed that they have found a substantial replacement for Boucher who is carving a bright future like that of the latter’s. With his good reflexes behind the wickets, he shall be the wicket keeper of this team.

#2 Kane Williamson

Since we have many options, we will promote Williamson to open the batting

He was rated and expected to carry the hopes of New Zealand even before he made his entry, and he announced his arrival with a century on Test debut. With the instincts to adapt to all forms of the game, Williamson has established himself firmly in the past few years to rise as one of the finest batsmen today.

He has found a spot in the Top 10 rankings of ODI and Tests and is capable of mastering the shortest format as well. His timing and elegance add to his assets and a healthy average of over 45 in Tests and ODIs would have elevated by 2020.

His consistency might just make his name appear in many honor boards in the future. A handy off spinner, Williamson is undoubtedly one of the pillars of modern cricket.

#3 Virat Kohli

Kohli retains his favourite spot

He would not be a surprise inclusion in any list that speaks about the future of the game. May it be Tests or ODI or T20, VK has been the backbone of Indian cricket for quite some time now. His tally of 32 international centuries which is higher than his age, might reach heights in the fore coming years.

The aggressive right-hander has scripted his name in the top 10 rankings across all three formats and the new Indian Test skipper rubs on his hunger to win on all his colleagues, irrespective of the team for which he plays. His numbers of over 10000 runs at such a tender age do the talking as he has already gained immense respect across the globe.

Having grown as a matured cricketer, he has been in a slight slumber in the recent times, but an expected comeback is just around the corner.

#4 Steven Smith (Captain)

Smith edges Kohli to lead this dream team

He came in as a leggie, attracted everyone with his acrobatic fielding and mesmerized cricket fans with his skills with the bat. He can be called Australia’s cornerstone, rising from a normal level to the nation’s skipper.

He came in as a player in the shorter formats but since 2013, he has been enjoying a purple patch in Tests as well with 9 centuries already in just 28 matches. His golden summer continued in the WC where he scored 4 half centuries and one semi-final century en route the title. His tactical and innovative stroke play has left the opposition clueless on how to tackle him.

He has grown to be a captain on whom a team can rely and his performances even at the domestic level such as the IPL prove this fact, thus easily gluing him to the captain’s seat in the team of the future.

#5 Joe Root

Root is probably the only English cricketer at the moment to have mastered all 3 forms

Ever since he stepped foot inside international cricket, he has acquired the qualities of a matured cricketer. He showed his composure in his very first Test against India, when he adapted well to the slow conditions and the situation of the team, scoring a resurrecting half century.

The former opener plays in the middle order and has climbed up the ranks not with heavy striking, but a systematic approach of not giving away his wicket easily. His T20 strike of 131.41 is in sharp contrast to the above fact but has made a point on how he has learnt to play all formats.

Having played less than 100 matches, he has already amassed 4500 runs at a tender age of 24, making a statement that it shall raise in the future. His handy off spin adds to his possession, thus making him a star to watch out for.

#6 Angelo Mathews

Mathews will be 33 years old in 2020, but still valuable

Undoubtedly, it is Angelo Matthews on whom the current Sri Lankan team has kept a lot of hopes on. The sturdy all rounder has added the stability that Sri Lanka lacked in the middle order and he shall continue to do the same here too. The number 5 ranked Test batsman is a paramount force in any form of the game.

He has been consistent in Tests with an average of 50 and has provided his team some crucial victories like that against England last year. Not to forget his finishes in the shorter formats, where he has pulled off victories, resurrecting from debris, against top teams like Australia and Pakistan.

With the ball in his hand, he can restrict the run flow effectively and his economy of 4.58 and 6.72 in ODIS and T20 manifest his talent. His athleticism adds to his assets and makes him a complete all-rounder who is all set to shine in the future.

#7 Shakib-Al-Hasan

We had a seam bowling all rounder, and here is our spin bowling all rounder

Without a doubt, he is the best cricketer that Bangladesh have ever had and currently he is the best all-rounder in modern day cricket. This team would have been incomplete without him. Needless to say, he has the technique and temperament to play all three formats.

He averages 39.72 and 35.23 with the bat in Tests and ODIs and tacks on with his accurate and canny bowling. An economy of 4.8 in ODIs and 6.41 in T20s shows how good Shakib has improvised on emerging as an accomplished all rounder over the years.

Despite batting lower down the order, he has managed to score match winning big scores across all formats and he shall continue those services in the time ahead.

#8 Ravichandran Ashwin

Ashwin will probably be the best spinner in the world in 2020

Ravi Ashwin is probably, India’s best off-spinner after Harbhajan Singh. Not only is he an orthodox spinner but also a batsman who can execute some shots with perfection. His Test average of 36.03 and his cameos, even at overseas conditions in shorter formats, make a statement.

The carom ball specialist mixes it up very well to trouble the batsman and has improved his performances with the ball over time. After a brief struggle, he has now managed to get back on track.

With 124 wickets in just 24 Tests, he is all set to crack some records in the near future. This future team cannot get a better spinner than ‘Ash’.

#9 Mitchell Starc

Starc will be just 27 years old in 2020 (Wow)

Australia’s current best seamer, Starc has the knack of bringing the delivery back into the batsman. He started off silently and has now risen as one of the menacing bowlers of modern cricket. His lankiness enables him to crush the toes of the batsmen with well-directed yorkers.

Talking about his numbers, he scalped 60 wickets in 2014-2015 before which he exhibited his potential in domestic leagues like Big Bash and Champions League for Sydney Sixers. He has been highly successful in the shorter formats with an impressive average of 18.33 in ODIs and an economy of 6.65 in T20s.

He emerged as the leading wicket taker with 22 victims in the recent World Cup, adding another feather to his cap. With such skills embedded in him, it would not be a surprise to see Starc wear a band of feathers in the coming days.

#10 Trent Boult

Boult and Starc steaming in would be a dream come true

Ever since he made Michael Hussey his first international victim, Boult hardly had to look back. With the ability to swing the ball both ways, his hasty pace and consistency has made him one of the important linchpins of New Zealand.

The 25-year-old Kiwi recorded match winning performances against teams like India, Australia, West Indies and England early on in his career to announce the rise of a talented pacer in modern day cricket. He followed it up and became the joint leading wicket taker of the WC 2015.

He has 119 wickets to his name in just 32 Tests and has enjoyed a similar success in the 50 over format with three five-wicket hauls within his first 20 matches. He is a handy lower order batsman who can chip in with some crucial runs and to see him spearhead a bowling attack along with Starc shall be a delight to the eyes.

#11 Josh Hazlewood

He is making rapid strides

The inclusion of a 24-year-old bowler who has played less than 25 international matches might come in as a bolt from the blue to many, but quoting the great Glenn McGrath, whom Hazlewood is said to resemble in terms of line and accuracy, “This lad has what it takes to become one of the greats of the game”.

In just 5 Tests he has 24 wickets under his bag which includes two five wicket hauls. At a time when the ODI field rules were favoring the batsmen, he has managed to start off with an economy of 4.39 and now that the rules have been changed to ease up the work on the bowlers, Hazlewood might just start establishing himself.

If he is to replicate McGrath in his bowling, things might just get worse in the future, for the batsmen.