Former RCB cricketer picks his all-time Test playing XI; includes no Indians but one from Pakistan

Former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) cricketer Wayne Parnell has revealed his all-time best Test playing XI. The 36-year-old shared his selections in an interaction with CricTracker, naming former South Africa captain Graeme Smith and Australia’s Matthew Hayden as his openers.

At No. 3, Parnell picked former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, while his middle order boasts a star-studded lineup of former Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis, West Indies legend Brian Lara, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, and AB de Villiers.

In the bowling department, he opted for three pacers, including South African legends Shaun Pollock and Dale Steyn, along with Pakistan’s Wasim Akram. The lone spinner in his XI is the late Shane Warne.

Wayne Parnell’s all-time Test lineup: Graeme Smith, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara, Kumar Sangakkara, AB de Villiers, Shaun Pollock, Wasim Akram, Shane Warne, Dale Steyn.

Three Indians make the cut in Wayne Parnell’s all-time ODI XI

In the same interaction, Proteas cricketer Wayne Parnell also revealed his greatest all-time ODI XI. The 36-year-old named former India legend Sachin Tendulkar and Hashim Amla as his openers. He slotted veteran Indian batter Virat Kohli at No. 3, followed by AB de Villiers at No. 4. Former Australia batter Michael Hussey and Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi took the No. 5 and No. 6 spots, respectively.

At No. 7, Parnell included MS Dhoni, whom he also named as his captain. His bowling attack comprises three pace legends: the iconic Pakistani duo Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, joined by Australian great Brett Lee. Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan completes the XI as the lone spinner.

Wayne Parnell’s all-time ODI lineup: Sachin Tendulkar, Hashim Amla, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Michael Hussey, Shahid Afridi, MS Dhoni (c), Wasim Akram, Brett Lee, Muttiah Muralitharan, Waqar Younis.

Meanwhile, Parnell was last seen in action during the 2025 World Championship of Legends (WCL), where the South Africa Champions clinched the title after defeating the Pakistan Champions in the final. He finished the tournament as the joint top bowler alongside Peter Siddle, claiming 11 scalps in seven matches at an average of 15.45 and a strike rate of 11.45.

About the author

Dev Sharma is a cricket journalist at Sportskeeda with over two years of experience. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication and has previously worked at Times Now as a sports writer.

His degree has empowered him with a good understanding of ethics in journalism and effective interviewing techniques, which he employs in his articles. He researches and verifies facts from multiple sources and remains impartial in his viewpoints. He has had the privilege of interviewing renowned sports journalist Vijay Lokapally.

Dev loves cricket because of its ability to keep spectators on the edge of their seats and its ability to foster a sense of community and shared passion. He is a staunch supporter of the Indian cricket team and his favorite cricketer is Yuvraj Singh, especially after he hit those iconic six sixes in an over in 2007. He also admires Rohit Sharma’s leadership as he led Mumbai Indians to five IPL titles and Team India to the T20 World Cup.

When he’s not working, Dev enjoys watching football or catching up on his sleep.

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Edited by Dev Sharma