The World's Best Test XI of the current era

Every era in Cricket unearths talents that leave fans, pundits as well as purists in awe. In an era where T20 leagues have sprung up like mushrooms, there has been a multitude of cricketers who still prime themselves in honing their skills at the Test level.

From batsmen with impeccable technique and pristine temperament to bowler's bamboozling the batters with their guile and panache, every Test team has its own set of match-winners.

Having said that, in this blog today, let us dig deep and form the best Test 11 of the current era.

Here's my compilation:

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#1 Alastair Cook

The youngest player in terms of age to cross the 10,000 run barrier in Test cricket

The youngest player in terms of age to cross the 10,000 run barrier in Test cricket, there is no way we could make a World XI without featuring Former English skipper Alastair Cook on the list.

Having made his debut in 2006 against India, Cook gave an instant account of his penchant for batting for a long period of time, as he stroked a masterful hundred. However, it is the tour of Australia and England that define an English player's credentials as a top-level Test batsman, and Cook has not only passed both the test but has also staggering returns in both places.

Cook was the cornerstone of two of England's biggest success of the decade. He scored 766 runs across five matches in England's 3-1 Ashes win in Australia, while he led from the front against India, with 562 runs that included three hundred as England went on to win the historic Test series in India after two decades.

With seven scores in excess of 150 and two double-hundreds, Cook has thus far accumulated 12028 runs at an average of 45.73 which includes 32 hundred.

#2 David Warner

The pocket-sized dynamo

Joining Cook at the top will be Aussie David Warner. The pocket-sized dynamo, as he is fondly called by the cricketing folklore, was the first cricketer since 1877 to make a debut for Australia without having played any first-class cricket. He made an instant impact in his T20I debut against the Proteas with a breathtaking knock of 89 off 43 balls. Following his blitz, he was handed the ODI debut against the same opposition on 18 January 2009.

The only opener to smash a hundred in an opening session of the Test match, Warner has stamped himself as one of the leading Test openers of the current era, with 21 hundred at an average of 48.2 in 74 matches.

While he may be out of cricket for a period of twelve months following the ball-tampering scandal, it is difficult to imagine a Test side without the swashbuckling Australian at the top of the order.

#3 Kane Williamson (Captain)

New Zealand's finest batsman since Martin Crowe

In at No.3 is New Zealand's skipper and arguably their finest batsman since the legendary Martin Crowe, the 27-year-old Kane Williamson.

Having made his debut in Ahmedabad 2010 against India, Williamson was already earmarked as the potential great since his U-19 days owing to his leadership skills and a non-Asian quality to play top-quality spin with precision. Thus, his pristine hundred on his debut against a top quality spin attack of India.

But it was only in 2015, after few years of inconsistent returns that Williamson embarked his name into the big league as he scored 1172 runs at a staggering average of 90. After a plethora of consistent performances and with his tactical acumen on full show, Williamson was appointed as the Blackcaps skipper following McCullum's retirement, and while he still has a long way to go in terms of success, his street-smartness is something that sets him apart, and he will lead our World XI side too.

#4 Virat Kohli

One of the most mercurial players to have graced the game in the 21st century

One of the most mercurial players to have graced the game in the 21st century is India's skipper Virat Kohli. The Delhi batsman rose to prominence after leading India to the U19 World Cup win in 2008. Kohli's sheer passion to win was an instant differentiator during that tournament, and he was awarded his debut as an opener in 2008 against Sri Lanka, but it was only in the December of 2009 that he gave a glimpse of his greatness when he scored his debut hundred in a run chase against Sri Lanka, and a slew of consistent performances and earned him a spot in the star-studded middle order in the 2011 World Cup.

Following his prowess in white-ball cricket, Virat was handed his Test debut against the West Indies in 2011. After mediocre returns in the three Tests and initial failures in Australia, Kohli scored a career-defining hundred at the Adelaide Oval in the fourth Test. That hundred started Kohli's love after with the ground, that saw him hammer two more on his captaincy debut in the summer of 2014-15.

The burden of captaincy seemed to rub off on Kohli for the good, as he went on to smash six double hundreds in the succeeding two seasons. In 66 Tests thus far, Kohli has accumulated 5554 runs at an average of 53.4, which includes 21 hundred and 16 fifties.

#5 Steve Smith

Steve Smith's story truly panders to the romantics of this beautiful game.

He may have been suspended for a period of 12 months, but Steve Smith's story truly panders to the romantics of this beautiful game.

From a leg-spinner who could bat a bit to a batsman marauding towards greatness synonymous to Bradman, Steve Smith's story genuinely panders to the romantics of this beautiful game. Smith made his international debut for Australia against Pakistan in 2010 as a leg-spinner who could bat a bit, amid skepticism on his credentials by fans and pundits alike. After having copped a plethora of criticism on his selection or his pedigree as a Test match player, Smith was axed from all formats of the game after Australia lost the coveted urn at home to the English in the summer of 2010-11.

However, it was the same opposition three years later that saw the resurgence of Smith. His different technique along with an exaggerated trigger movement coupled with a constant shuffle paved the way for Smith's redemption as his crucial hundred at Melbourne Cricket Ground as the Aussies to clinched the Ashes in 2013-14.

If 2013-14 were an indication of Smith's resurgence, the succeeding season would establish his credentials as the best Test batter. Smith scored over 700 runs against India at home in 2014-15 empowering him to reach the zenith of Test rankings.

Nevertheless, his finest hour in Test cricket arrived last year when he scored a tenacious hundred in the second innings at Pune on a dust-bowl masquerading as the first Test pitch to help Australia win their Test in India since Nagpur, 2004. Smith was at it again in the home Ashes against England as the former Aussie skipper as he accumulated 687 runs in seven innings with two double-hundred at a monstrous average of 137.40, recording the second-highest score by an Aussie captain in a single Ashes series.

#6 Ben Stokes

Arguably the best all-rounder going around currently in World Cricket today

Arguably the best all-rounder going around currently in World Cricket today, England's Ben Stokes makes our list at No.6.After a series of consistent performances in the limited overs set-up, Stokes was handed over his Test debut in England's disastrous Ashes campaign of 2013-14 in Australia.

Stokes was England's sole shining light in that ill-fated Ashes for England as took his career-best 6-99 and top scored with 47 in the fifth Test at the SCG. He finished as England's second-highest taker with 15 wickets and the third highest run-scorer with the bat with 279 runs But it was the tour of South Africa in 2016 when Stokes truly announced himself as a top-quality all-rounder. His finest hour in Test cricket came as he stroked a swashbuckling 258 against a top-notch Proteas attack helping England to a series win in the rainbow nation.

Stokes was touted to be England's X-factor in the 2017-18 Ashes down under but an ugly altercation in the Bristol nightclub meant he missed the Ashes campaign which consequently ended with a 0-4 out of his side.

After spending months out of the game, Stokes got some much-needed relief when the ECB decided to include him for the ODI series in New Zealand. In 41 Tests thus far, Stokes has accumulated 2532 runs at an average of 35.17 to go along with 95 wickets at 34.14.

#7 Jonny Bairstow (Wicket-keeper)

The Yorkshire wicket-keeping batsman has been one of the most improved cricketers in the past few years

Donning the wicket-keeping gloves will be England's, Jonny Bairstow. The Yorkshire wicket-keeping batsman has been one of the most improved cricketers in the past few years.

After making consistent performances for his team Yorkshire, that saw him score two back-to-back hundreds at the beginning of the 2012 season, Bairstow was handed his Test debut against the West Indies at Lords in 2012. After an uneventful appearance, Bairstow was recalled for the third Test of the following South African series, after Kebin Pieterson was dropped due to disciplinary breach. Bairstow cashed in onto his opportunity with a gritty 95 and followed it up with a fifty in the second innings.

However, it was only the 2015 tour of South Africa that saw the re-emergence of Jonny Bairstow. The wicket-keeper batsman made his maiden Test hundred in Cape Town and was involved in a stunning 399-run stand with Ben Stokes, and ended the series with 359 runs at an average of 89.75, and followed it up by a solid showing in 2016, scoring 1470 runs at an average of 58.8 has been a regular feature in the England side since then.

In 52 Tests thus far, Bairstow has accumulated 3293 runs at an average of 39.2, including five hundred and seventeen fifties.

#8 Ravichandran Ashwin

The leading off-spin bowling of the current era

The leading off-spin bowling of the current era, India's Ravi Ashwin makes our list as the sole spinner in this coveted list.

After a series of consistent performances in white-ball cricket, Ashwin was fast-tracked into Indian Test side in the season of 2011 against the Windies in favor of ace-spinner Harbhajan Singh, and the vile off-spinner has proceeded to become the leader of the attack since.

With a plethora of skills like the off-break and the carrom ball at his disposal, Ashwin has proceeded to bamboozle batsmen with his guile and technical understanding. The 2017 recipient of Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, Ashwin is also the fastest to claim 300 Test wickets (54 Tests) leaving behind Dennis Lillie. In 57 Tests thus far, Ashwin has accumulated 311 wickets at an average of 25.57 which includes 26 five-wicket hauls and seven 10-fers.

#9 Kagiso Rabada

With raw aggression and pace, Rabada has proceeded to lead the Proteas pace-attack

After propelling his side to the U-19 World Cup glory with a scintillating 6-25 against the Australians, Kagiso Rabada was earmarked as the successor to the great Dale Steyn when he was handed his Test debut in 2015 against India.

With raw aggression and pace, Rabada has proceeded to lead the Proteas pace-attack in the absence of the injury-ridden Dale Steyn, with flabbergasting consistency. He bamboozled the helpless English top-order last summer in England, accumulating three five-wicket hauls in six innings. Rabada was at his menacing best in the home summer against India and Australia and emerged as an indispensable part of the Proteas pace attack.

The 22-year-old has featured in 30 Test matches thus far and have accumulated 143 wickets at an average of 21.59 which includes nine five-wicket hauls and four 10-fer.

#10 Mitchell Starc

The menacing left-arm fast bowler from Australia

The menacing left-arm fast bowler from Australia, Mitchell Starc make our list at No.10. With a remarkable consistency in bowling brutal toe-crushers, that takes the pitch conditions out of context, Starc has proceeded to become one of the most fearsome fats-bowlers in contemporary cricket.

While he made his Test debut against New Zealand at the Gabba in 2011, a series of inconsistent performances hindered Starc's credentials of an all-format bowler, but it was only after the 2015 World Cup, where he was adjudged Player of the Tournament, that we saw the emergence of Starc 2.0.

2015 continued to be the golden year, as he broke the 160 km/hr barrier against New Zealand at the WACA, and picked up 87 wickets across formats, establishing himself as an indispensable asset for Australian cricket. In 43 Tests thus far, Starc has picked up 182 wickets at an average of 28.18, including nine five-wicket hauls and a ten-fer.

#11 James Anderson

The greatest exponent of a swinging ball in contemporary cricket

The greatest exponent of a swinging ball in contemporary cricket, it's almost impossible to imagine a World test XI without James Anderson.

Anderson's career can be studied in two parts. Having made his debut in 2003, Anderson remained out of the side for the better part of five years. But since 2007, the vile fast-bowler blessed with a classical side-on action has proceeded to bamboozle batsmen all over the world with his immaculate seam and swing, and rever-swing when the ball gets old.

With a plethora of wickets in English conditions, Anderson's two pivotal achievements remain his annihilation of the Aussies (24 wickets in five matches) Down under in 2010, exorcising his ghosts of the previous visit in 2006, and his subsequent match-winning spell of reverse-bowling in Kolkata in 2012, to lead England to a famous 2-1 series win over India.

Anderson, who holds the World record of going through 54 Test innings without a duck, have already accumulated 531 wickets at an average of 27.37 which includes 25 five-wicket hauls and three ten-fers.