England vs Pakistan Test series: Combined XI

A topsy-turvy series that could have gone either way, ended on level terms, with Pakistan winning the last Test at Oval in convincing fashion. There were some amazing periods of play, with some unusual players emerging as standout performers during the course of the the four matches.

Here’s a combined XI of players from either side that turned out to be the leading performers in the series:

OPENERS

#1 Alastair Cook

As has been the case more often than not, Alastair Cook was one of the pillars of the English batting, providing solidity at the top of the order. This time, however, his batting wasn’t dour, but more free-flowing, with a healthy strike rate of 67.40, one of the highest for a top order batsman in the series.

He went past fifty in half of the eight innings he played, being one of the only two batsmen from either side to score more than 400 runs in the series. With a century in the Old Trafford Test, he now stands level with Sir Don Bradman at 29 Test centuries.

#2 Sami Aslam

Post a dismal showing by the team in the World Cup last year, a 19-year-old Aslam was ushered into the Test team, but could not really live up to the billing, managing just 47 runs in three innings.

With a misfiring opening combination, Aslam was reinstated in the team for the last two Tests, and responded with two gritty knocks, including an 82 off 176 balls in the third Test, looking comfortable against whatever the English attack had to offer.With his current showing, he seems to be in for a long run as an opener in the current squad.

MIDDLE ORDER

#3 Joe Root

Once again, Root showed why he is rated so highly in the cricketing circles as one of the future greats, scoring a well compiled 254 at Old Trafford. With quick runs required in the second innings, he changed gears to make a quick-fire 48-ball 71.

With 512 runs in the series, he was the leading run-getter, also becoming the fourth youngest to get to 4000 career Test runs. His prowess with the bat is highlighted by the fact that no one has scored more than him since his debut.

#4 Younis Khan

The 38-year old did not have a terrific start to the series, but ended it with a bang, proving why he is counted as one of the best batsmen to have emerged from his country. Although he did not score a single 50, his 218 in the last Test took him to the top of the run charts for Pakistan in the series.

The series-equalling double ton was his sixth overall, bringing him on level terms with Javed Miandad for most double hundreds for Pakistan. He also rose to fifth in the ICC Test rankings.

#5 Misbah-ul-Haq

He entered the series with whispers of this being his final hurrah in Tests. However, he brushed aside all retirement talks in typical fashion, scoring a ton in the first Test to become the oldest captain to score a century in the history of the game.

Apart from the century, and the subsequent push-up celebrations at Lord’s, Misbah scored two more fifties to maintain his average over 50 in the series.

#6 Jonny Bairstow

Although his skills behind the stumps is still a work in progress, Bairstow has shown how integral a component he is in the batting lineup for England. He is only 54 runs short of Andy Flower’s record for most runs by a wicketkeeper in a calendar year, and he has five Tests to achieve the same.

He scored four half-centuries in the series, and although he couldn’t get to the three-figure mark against Pakistan, he scored a total of 752 runs in the two recent series, averaging 75.30.

ALL-ROUNDERS

#7 Moeen Ali

Be it with bat or ball, Moeen Ali is turning out to be one of the most dependable players in the current English set-up. Not a big turner of the ball, Ali has the backing of captain Cook as the number 1 spinner in the country. It is his batting, however, that gives him the edge over his competitors.

With a century and two half-tons, he scored a total of 316 runs at a more than impressive average of 63.20, and chipped in with his off-spin as well, picking up 11 wickets in four matches.

#8 Chris Woakes

Woakes had a great series with the ball, emerging as the leading wicket taker, bowling his heart out with the right combination of pace and accuracy to trouble the batsmen. The Lord’s Test turned out to be the best, with him getting into the honour boards in both innings.

In all, he claimed 26 victims with his pace, at an impressive average of 16.73. He had a decent run with the bat as well, scoring 177 runs at an average of 35.40.

BOWLERS

#9 Sohail Khan

The 32-year old was included in the team for the last two Tests, with the selectors banking on his accuracy and knack of picking wickets. Like Amir, but for very different reasons, Sohail made a comeback to the Pakistan Test team after five long years, and made the opportunity count with five-wicket hauls in the first innings of the last two Tests.

He jumped to third place in the list of highest wicket-takers in the series, claiming 13 wickets from the two matches. His right arm pace was a pleasant anomaly to a long list of left arm pacers that regularly feature in the Pakistan team.

#10 Yasir Shah

The start to the series was certainly impressive. A ten-wicket haul in the first Test at Lord’s handed Pakistan a 75-run win, and made Yasir Shah the first leg-spinner in 11 years to reach the top of the bowling rankings in Tests.However, his role changed in the next two matches, and he was unable to pick wickets with the same intensity. With Sohail Khan’s inclusion, Shah was back in form, and ended with 19 wickets. He narrowly missed out on being the fastest to 100 Test wickets.

#11 Mohammad Amir

Although his much talked-about comeback to England wasn’t the flashiest, yet, whenever the captain called on to him, he delivered consistently. He took the winning wicket at Lord’s to complete a redemption of sorts at the venue, and managed a total of 12 wickets from the series.

In a series that had a number of good but non-threatening bowlers, Amir held his own, and showed his class, although in short bursts.