Greatest Test XI of last 25 years

Test cricket is cricket's hardest format. It is where one's skill, technique, strength, and endurance is tested. One can't be declared as a great cricketer unless and until he has proved his mettle in Test matches.

The era of the 1990s and 2000s was an epoch in cricketing history. An era of sheer greatness that took the cricketing world by storm because of the rise of many future legends. It was also an era when the game became highly professional. The matches and the series were timed properly and the players were paid well too.

After the invasion of T20 cricket in the mid-2000s, the whole game went into a new zone altogether. The roots of the game were forgotten and the values were buried underneath.

But, the year 2018 was a great "comeback" year for test cricket because the ball dominated the bat all the time. More five-wicket hauls were taken in 2018 than in any year in recent times. Hopefully, this trend of the ball in parity with the bat will continue to keep Test cricket alive.

In this segment, let us assemble a star-studded lineup comprising 11 iconic players who changed the game completely with their stellar performances in the last 25 years.

---

Openers: Matthew Hayden and Graeme Smith

The tall, big, muscular lad from Australia was very well known around the world for his aggressive style of play. Popularly known as 'Haydos' in the cricketing circuit, Matthew Hayden was one of the hardest hitters of a cricket ball. He treated the opposition bowling attack with complete disdain charging down the track all the time. His style of play was a brilliant combination of power and cricketing intellect.

His brilliant test career lasted for 103 matches in which he scored 8625 runs at an average of 50.74, and for an opener to have maintained such an average for such a long time was a terrific achievement.

Hayden scored 30 centuries and 29 half-centuries in his entire career. He holds the amazing record of scoring the 2nd highest individual scorer in Test history (380 against Zimbabwe).

He was an important part of that golden generation in Australian cricket where they won 16 Test matches in a row.

---

Graeme Smith

Graeme Smith burst onto the international arena with some record-breaking batting performances. He scored two double hundreds in his first ever tour to England. His 259 is still the highest score by an individual at Lord's. In that series, he ended up scoring 714 runs at an astonishing average of 79.33.

Smith became the youngest South Africa captain when he was handed over the reins at a young age of 22. Smith became a successful captain leading his team to 53 Test match victories out of 109 in which lead them. He will be leading this side too.

Smith holds the record for most number of centuries by a captain in test match wins(15). He amassed 9265 runs at an impressive average of 47.76 which included 28 centuries, 38 half-centuries and 5 double centuries.

If anyone remembers seeing Smith coming out to bat in Sydney to save the test match; with a broken hand, they would not think twice before selecting him.

Middle-order: Rahul Dravid, Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar

Rahul Dravid

Undoubtedly the greatest number 3 batsmen of his generation, Rahul Dravid is technically the most correct batsmen to have walked the cricketing world. He was an epitome of grit, concentration, hard work, sincerity, punctuality and gentlemanliness.

Dravid was known as 'The Wall' for his unwavering commitment and determination to the Indian team's success, especially in overseas conditions. Between 2002-2006 Dravid was the most prolific batsmen in the Indian team scoring 4,697 runs for India in 48 Tests at an astonishing average of 70.10.

Rahul Dravid played a total of 164 test matches in which he scored 13,288 runs at a brilliant average of 52.88 garnished with 36 centuries and 63 half-centuries. He scored 5 double centuries out of which 3 came in overseas conditions.

Dravid was always an important part of India's overseas victories. Whether his tally of 602 runs in 2002 England tour or 619 runs during 2003/04 tour to Australia. His 270 in Rawalpindi is etched in fans' memories. He scored 180 runs batting alongside Laxman(281) in the third innings at Kolkata which resulted in one of the greatest comebacks in Test history.

Brian Lara

If there ever existed a painter with the bat then it was Brian Charles Lara. Popularly known as. 'The Prince' of Trinidad and Tobago, Lara is undoubtedly the greatest left-handed batsmen of all time.

Lara was a painter and the entire pitch was his canvas. He moved his body like a paint brush. His quick feet movement, his cocky wrists, and his high backlift were all the attributes that made him the magician that he was.

Longevity and Lara are somewhat synonyms in a cricketing dictionary. Lara once scored 8 consecutive hundreds in the English county cricket in a single season. And in the same season then scored the unthinkable 501*. It was the genesis of the batting genius called Lara.

Lara surpassed legendary West Indian Garry Sobers' world record of 365* in 1994 when he scored 375 against England in Antigua. And 10 years later when the record was in the hands of Matthew Hayden, Lara once again snatched the record to his name when proved his ability to score big once again.

But this time it was an epic, a historic 400*.

Lara carried his team single-handedly throughout his career though later he was lent a helping hand by Shivnarine Chanderpaul. Lara scored more than 26% of his team's runs throughout his career. His total tally of 11953 runs at a marvelous average of 52.89 and it included 34 centuries and 48 half-centuries are a testament to his batting abilities.

Sachin Tendulkar

No brainer, right? Widely regarded as the greatest batsmen to have walked the earth, Sachin Tendulkar is no doubt a player that appears once in a century. The difference between Tendulkar and other batting legends of his time was the amount of pressure and expectations that he was under everytime he walked out to bat. He was a perfect dream that a cricketing nation could have dreamt of.

It would be a crime to reduce Tendulkar to just a cricketer. For, he was much more than that. He was a youth icon whose career's chart peaked at the same time as his country's economy. His on-field exploits lead to confidence-boosting of more than a billion people. His aura that has spread all over the world is just an example of beneficial footprint that he has left with his bat.

When it comes to statistics no one even dared to come near to Sachin. For, he was way ahead of his times. His every step in cricket was marked by a milestone.

Sachin played 200 test matches in which he amassed 15,921 runs at an average of 53.79. He scored 51 centuries, 68 half-centuries, and 6 double centuries. For a player who has played the highest level of cricket for 24 years, it is quite fitting.

All-rounder: Jacques Kallis

Jacques Kallis

They don't call someone 'King' for no reason in cricket unless and until it's Jacques Kallis. Kallis is widely regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders ever to have played the game.

Kallis similar to Dravid had to hone his skills since batting didn't come easy for him unlike Tendulkar, Lara etc. He started as a bowler who bowled at high 140s and became a devastating allrounder by the end of last century. An adversary for the opposition teams who feared and respected him.

Kallis may not have had the flair of a Tendulkar or Lara but was as much as effective as they were. His ability to grind out the opposition bowling attack early on in his innings and later capitalizing on that proved healthy for his team.

He played 166 test matches in which he scored one run more than his good mate Dravid. He scored 13289 runs at a brilliant average of 55.39 which included 45 centuries and 58 half-centuries. He picked up an astonishing number of 292 wickets along with such mountainous amount of runs.

Wicket-keeper: Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist will forever be remembered as the man who redefined the slot of Wicket-keeping batsmen in the team. His combination of flair and aggression is still unmatched. Gilchrist was one of the most important pillars in that golden generation of Australian cricket.

Adam's ability to score runs quickly at the back of the innings made him a successful cricketer he was. He played a total of 96 test matches in which he scored 5570 runs at an average of 47.61, for a wicketkeeping batsman that is mesmerizing. He scored 17 centuries and 26 half-centuries in his career. He maintained a strike-rate of 81.96 throughout his career. And was only apt that he became the first person to hit 100 sixes in test matches.

Gilchrist's aura changed the way the game pursued wicketkeepers and that's why Mark Boucher lagged behind him. Gilly, as he was fondly known amongst his fans, was involved in 414 dismissals in his entire career. 377 of them were catches and 37 being stumpings.

Bowlers: Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, Dale Steyn and Glenn McGrath

Shane Warne

Saw a magician on a cricket pitch? Yes, a magician whose magic tricks were only with the ball? Yes, you are guessing it right. There was, is and will only be one magician in test cricket with the ball. His name is Shane Keith Warne.

An all-time test XI would be incomplete without Warne. Such is the impact and influence of this man. With an impeccable accuracy on his spin, Shane Warne became one of a kind. The amount of spin he got, bamboozled many great batters of his time. It was only apt that he was the one who bowled the ball of the century in his first ever Ashes series to Mike Gatting in 1993.

Warne picked up a total of 708 test wickets at a mesmerizing average and strike-rate of 25.42 and 57.49 respectively. He picked up 5 wickets in an innings 37 times and 10wickets in a test match 10 times.

Warne was named as one of the 5 cricketers of the 20th century along with Don Bradman, Viv Richards, Jack Hobbs, and Garry Sobers. Though Warne's career has sometimes been on a spotlight for some wrong reasons, there is absolutely no doubt that the Spin King's contribution to test cricket is etched in his fans memories.

Wasim Akram

Brian Lara once said, "He always made me feel stupid," and he was referring to was none other than Wasim Akram. You must understand how big a compliment it is considering the fact that Lara is considered to be one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

Wasim Akram is widely regarded as the greatest left-arm fast bowler of all time. The Pakistani born cricketer was considered to be the most skillful bowler of his time.

Akram became a household name after his one magical over in the night of the 1992 CWC final. He was declared man of the match for his performance which helped Pakistan list their first ever World Cup trophy.

Wasim blossomed under the leadership of Imran Khan and Javed Miandad. Akram himself went onto to become a great skipper later on. In his magical career, he took 414 Test wickets from 104 games at a mind-boggling average and strike-rate of 23.62 and 54.72 respectively. He picked 5 wickets in an innings 25 times and 10 wickets in a test match 5 times.

Dale Steyn

He may be the youngest one in this team but Dale Steyn is no less in skills than anyone when it comes to fast bowling. A man of whom Michael Holding is a fan of is certainly the greatest of his generation.

The Protea is considered to be the best amongst his generation of fast bowlers which includes some greats like Jimmy Anderson, Mitchell Johnson, Shoaib Akhtar, Brett Lee etc. With predator's eyes and pace like wildfire, he has intimidated every batsman he has ever bowled to.

Watching Steyn's rhythmic action is equivalent to sheer poetry in motion. In his entire career that is still going strong, Steyn has picked up 431 wickets at an unbelievable average and strike-rate of 22.66 and 41.95 respectively. He probably has the best bowling strike-rate for a fast bowler over 400 test wickets.

Steyn has 5 ten-wicket hauls and 25 five-wicket hauls. His ability to take wickets in the subcontinent conditions has to lead to widespread appreciation from yesteryear legends.

Glenn McGrath

Glenn McGrath's bowling records are unquestionable. He along with Warne formed the deadliest combination of spin and pace bowling.

McGrath wasn't as skillful as Akram but he had a deadly weapon in his armory and that was pinpoint accuracy with a fiery consistent pace. How many fast bowlers can bowl the same ball at the same length on the same line six times an over? There might have been a few but none like 'Pigeon'.

McGrath picked up 563 test wickets in his illustrious career in 124 test matches he played for Australia. He maintained an alienesque bowling average and a strike-rate of 21.64 and 51.95 in his career. He has 29 five-wicket hauls and three 10-wicket hauls to his name.

To sum up McGrath's career without mentioning his few rare stats would be a crime. He dismissed most no of openers in test history. He dismissed the most number of batsmen for ducks in test history. He got a wicket off his last ball in the world cup. He has been an important part of 3 World Cup winning teams.