Strongest Test playing XI featuring Under-26 players

There is no dearth of young talents in world cricket today. While younger players are apt for the shorter formats of the game as their dynamism and energy are brought to the fore, there are also some youngsters who have moulded their game exceptionally well for Tests.

Tests are literally a test for any cricketer as they test the patience, stamina, resilience, attitude and mindset the player has in the game through a grilling five-day tenure.

In all honesty, becoming a respected player in Tests is not the aim of all the players of the younger generation as they are primarily interested in focusing on the shorter formats and gaining the limelight by playing in domestic T20 leagues around the world.

However, there is a select group of Under 26 players who have - and still are - performing exceptionally well in the longest format of the game for their respective national teams.

In this article, we aim to make the strongest XI team from a group of Under 26 players based on their performance in the recent past. This team will certainly give any team - experienced or not - a run for their money.

Without further ado, let's dive straight into listing these players and one honorable mention:

#1 Aiden Markram

Aiden Markram is an extremely talented South African cricketer. The 24-year-old was the captain and led from the front when the Proteas lifted the 2014 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He was South Africa's highest run-getter as he scored a whopping 370 runs in 6 innings with a phenomenal strike rate of 123.

Although he was named in the Proteas' Test squad for their series against England in June 2017, Markam only got to make his debut on 28 September 2017 against Bangladesh.

The youngster had a phenomenal start to his Test career. The Centurion-born player scored two centuries in his first three Tests itself, becoming the first South African player to achieve this feat.

In the 12 Tests he has played thus far, Markram has scored 1040 runs with his highest score being 152 - which he scored against Australia. He already has 4 Test centuries and 3 fifties to his name in the 22 innings he has batted in and is also batting with a healthy strike rate of 63.18.

To add to his batting prowess, the aggressive batsman is also a handy right-arm off-break bowler and can be used if needed. Markram is well on his way to becoming the next South African superstar in Tests as he has age on his side.

At such a young age, Aiden Markram is currently ranked the Number 11 Test batsman.

#2 Imam-ul-Haq

Imam-ul-Haq is the nephew of the legendary Pakistani batsman Inzamam-ul-Haq. The young batsman first came to the limelight during the U-19 Asia Cup in 2012. At that time he was still just 16 and played with exceptional maturity to score at an average of 45 from his first 5 games.

A big low struck him when the left-handed middle-order batsman failed to impress at the U-19 World Cup in 2012. However, he was quick to get back to form as he performed well at the U-19 Tri-Series tournament in 2012 and scored 237 runs in 6 innings.

Imam made his Test debut for Pakistan on May 11, 2018, against Ireland. In the 7 Tests he has played so far, the flamboyant batsman has gone on to score 334 runs at an average of 30.36 and strike rate of 47.18.

Even though the figures are not as good as he would have liked, one has to keep in mind that he is still just 23-year-old and is just settling in.

The strokes he plays, however, prove that he is a classy batsman and here to stay for the Men in Green as a long-term prospect. The Lahore-born player is also a sharp fielder and that is an added advantage for Pakistan.

Not only is Iman a great prospect in Tests, but he is also settling in well in the ODI team. In the 4th ODI during Pakistan's tour of Zimbabwe, the youngster scored a sublime century. He scored 113 and Fakhar Zaman, his opening partner, scored 210 runs. Together the duo put together 304 runs which is the record for the highest opening partnership in ODIs. Needless to say, Pakistan went on to win the match convincingly with a margin of 244 runs.

#3 Babar Azam

Mohammad Babar Azam has become a regular member of Pakistan's national team in all three formats - Test, ODI and T20I. The Right Handed Batsman ended Pakistan's search for a reliable number 3 batsman.

The youngster was Pakistan's top run-getter as well as the skipper of his team at the 2012 Under-19 World Cup.

The 24-year-old has been on a fairytale run and made his Test debut against the Windies on October 13, 2016. Babar has a batting average of over 50 in both ODIs and T20s but is yet to bring out his best for Pakistan in Tests as he averages only 33.8.

The stroke maker idolizes AB De Villiers and has shown glimpses of brilliance while batting. The Lahore-born player has surpassed 1000 runs in Tests in 18 matches and 34 innings. He has got 9 fifties and a ton to his name but will have to step on the gas in order to boost his Test career.

Babar is the ranked as the number 1 T20 batsman and number 5 ODI batsman as per ICC Rankings. He would certainly want to push up his ranking of 35 in Tests as soon as possible.

#4 Shai Hope

The West Indian batsman was named the Men's Cricketer of the Year, the ODI Cricketer of the Year, as well as the Test Cricketer of the Year during the Cricket West Indies' Awards 2018. The wicket-keeper batsman shot to the limelight after he scored a double hundred during the Regional four-day competition.

The 25-year-old possesses immense batting skills and has all the strokes in his kitty. The Barbados-born player made his Test debut on May 01, 2015 against England.

The start to his Test career was not as good as people had expected. His form dwindled and he could only manage a batting average of 16 after playing his first 10 Tests.

Since then, however, the resolute batsman has never looked back and consistently produced the goods for his team. The selectors have kept faith in him which he himself reinstilled after producing some great knocks.

The right-handed batsman displays a lot of maturity whenever he is out batting and has learned from his mistakes.

In the 26 Tests so far, the Windies player has 1340 runs with the highest score of 147 and a strike rate of 42.73. His batting average has also improved and currently stands at 28.51. He is currently ranked 52 in Test rankings as per ICC and will hope to move up that ladder slowly but gradually.

#5 Quinton de Kock

Quinton de Kock is an exceptionally talented South African batsman. At 25 years of age, he has already acquired a lot of experience playing for the senior national team.

Even though there have been slumps in his form, he is still one of the most consistent performers for the Proteas.

Not only is Quinton de Kock an extremely talented batsman, but he is also an exceptional wicket-keeper. It was his three consecutive ODI centuries against India in 2013 that brought him to the limelight and showcased how big a prospect he can become.

The left-handed batsman made his Test debut against Australia on Feb 20, 2014. His counter-attacking play has rescued the Proteas from many tricky situations in Tests. Kock has scored 1925 runs in 35 Tests at an average of 36.32. His strike rate of 70.69 is also just phenomenal in the longer format of the game. The youngster also has 13 fifties and 3 centuries to his name.

The South African player has also done well in the shorter formats of the game and will be seen featuring for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2019. He has become a mainstay player for the national team after de Villiers announced his retirement.

#6 Sam Curran

The young Samuel Matthew Curran is a potent all-rounder for England. After performing well in domestic circuits, Curran was picked up for 2016 Under 19 World Cup. He was highly impressive and scored 201 runs in England's six games and also took 7 wickets - helping them finish 6th.

The 20-year-old made his Test debut for England on June 01, 2018 against Pakistan. He is one of the brightest young talents around in world cricket at the moment.

The Northampton-born player has already scored 404 runs in the 7 Tests he has played - at an average of 36.73 - and a strike rate of 57.88. The young left-arm fast-medium bowler has also contributed with the ball and picked up 14 wickets with an average of 25.14.

The start to his international career has been highly promising and he can become one of the mainstays in the English side if he consistently keeps performing well.

#7 Lungi Ngidi

The right-arm fast bowler from South Africa is a real force to reckon with. Lungi Ngidi has the capability to bowl extremely fast - in excess of 140 kph and that too consistently.

The South African player made his Test debut against India on Jan 13, 2018, at Centurion. The youngster impressed one and all with his pace and also got Virat Kohli's wicket in his debut match after some smart bowling.

The 22-year-old has just played 4 Tests till now but is looking like a long-term prospect and apt replacement for Dale Steyn. In the 4 Tests he has played, the speedster has picked up 15 wickets at an average of 19.53 and an economy of 2.84.

The youngster has also become an important part of the Proteas in the shorter formats and if things go according to plan - then he has a bright future ahead of him. Ngidi already finds himself at the 47th place in the Test bowling rankings and will surely climb up the ladder as he gets to play more.

#8 Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada is another exceptionally talented South African pacer. The 23-year-old already has a wealth of experience in his kitty. The speedster can be intimidating for the batsman as he gets the ball to generate a lot of bounce. He is also helped with his 6-foot 3-inch frame.

His exceptional performance for the U-19 team at the 2014 World Cup brought him to the limelight. In one of the matches against Australia, he had picked up 6 wickets.

The right-arm fast bowler made his Test debut against India on Nov 05, 2015. In the 32 Tests, Rabada has picked up a staggering 151 wickets at an average of 21.71 and economy rate of 3.31.

Earlier this year, in July, Rabada also became the youngest player to reach 150 wickets in Tests.

His ability to swing the ball at high speeds has proved to be lethal for the opposition. There are many memorable spells bowled by Rabada which have turned the tide in favour of the Proteas. He is currently the highest ranked bowler in Test cricket as per ICC Test rankings.

With Rabada and Ngidi in their ranks, South Africa can be assured of the pace bowling department for the coming few years.

Rabada has also been impressive for South Africa in ODI's. Having played 57 ODIs, he is just 7 wickets away from reaching the 100 mark.

#9 Hasan Ali

The 24-year-old Right-arm fast-medium bowler hails from Mandi Bahauddin in Punjab. What makes Hasan Ali such a special bowler are his variations. Unlike Rabada and Ngidi, who are about brute pace, Ali is a smart operator.

The bowler gained limelight after performing well in the domestic circuit as well as the 2016 Pakistan Super League, in which he played for Peshawar Zalmi and helped his side to top the points table. The following year, he also became Champions of the PSL with Peshawar Zalmi.

2017 was the breakthrough year for him. Hasan's brilliance at the 2017 Champions Trophy, where he picked 13 wickets in 5 matches, helped Pakistan to clinch the title. He was also named the Player of the Tournament.

Hasan made his Test debut on May 10, 2017, against Windies. In 7 Tests, he has picked up 25 wickets at an average of 25.16 and economy rate of 2.8.

The youngster bowls with maturity which is well beyond his years. He has also been highly successful for the Men in Green in ODIs and has picked up 75 wickets in 41 matches.

Pakistan's trend of producing World Class fast bowlers continues.

#10 Pat Cummins

25-year-old Pat Cummins made his Test debut for Australia when he was just 18 years old. The match was against South Africa on Nov 17, 2011. He gave a match-winning performance and picked up 6 wickets in the 2nd innings. The impressive performance fetched him the Man of the Match award and also made him the talk of the town.

However, constant injuries plagued the young Pat Cummins. There was a stress fracture in his back as well as multiple other injuries which saw him out of the limelight for a long long time.

He would only return to play Test cricket for Australia after roughly 5 years and 4 months. A sad story indeed after a sensational debut.

In the 15 Tests he has played thus far, Cummins has already picked up 68 wickets at an average of 24.65 and economy rate of 2.92. He is also a handly lower middle order batsman and has scored 403 runs in Tests at an average of 20.15.

The fast bowler idolizes Brett Lee and has become an integral part of the national team after returning in 2017. Years of hard work has made his body more stable now and he is less prone to injury.

The Aussie speedster is ranked 7th as per the current ICC Test Rankings. He is also ranked the 9th in the All Rounder's list.

If injuries do not trouble him, Cummins is well on route to becoming a legend.

#11 Mustafizur Rahman

23-year-old Mustafizur Rahman is an extremely potent Left-arm fast-medium bowler. He has established himself in Bangladesh's national team across all three formats.

He shot to fame when he picked up 13 wickets in his debut ODI series and that too, against India. He also had two five-wicket hauls in the series. The talent of Rahman was evident from early on as he won the Man of the Match award on both his Test as well as ODI debut.

The youngster made his Test debut against South Africa on Jul 21, 2015. In the 12 Tests, Rahman has picked up 27 wickets at an average of 33.7 and an economy rate of 3.1.

The Bangladeshi player has also performed well for the national team in shorter formats and is also a regular feature in the Indian Premier League.

His variations have always befuddled batsman and he is still going strong.

Shimron Hetmyer of West Indies forms the honourable mention in this list.

Which are the players you think would be suitable in this team? Do share your opinions in the comments section below.

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Edited by Kumud Ranjan