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Picking the ultimate Test Cricket 11 of the 2000s has to be the toughest job going around for a budding young journalist and cricket fanatic.
A golden era for cricket has seen many living legends flourish, champions born and some men yet to even reach their full potential. As can be expected there has been several harsh omissions, but I have tried to take into account their impact since the year 2000 – sorry Brian Lara fans.
(1) Matthew Hayden
Over a 10-year span from 2000-2009, the aggressive left-hand opener dominated at Test-level for Australia alongside Justin Langer for much of his decorated career. Despite making his debut in 1994, Hayden didn’t make a name for himself until the new millennium. Hayden chalked up a remarkable 8364 runs for Australia @52.93, which included 29 Test centuries and a further 29 half-centuries. His ability to score quickly with the new ball was certainly a strong point, especially when it came to plundering it through the covers.
Perhaps his most notable innings came in 2003 when Hayden surpassed the legendary likes of Don Bradman, Mark Taylor and Brian Lara to set the record for the highest amount of runs scored by an individual in a single Test innings. His score of 380 came off just 437 balls against a depleted Zimbabwean outfit at the WACA.
(2) Virender Sehwag
At the other end of the pitch is one of India’s best ever batsmen and fellow hard-hitter Virender Sehwag. The man they call ‘Viru’ played 99 Test matches between 2000-2013, amassing 8207 runs @50.04 with 22 centuries and 30 half-centuries. Sehwag’s dominance for India throughout the early to mid 2000s had pundits mention his name alongside the great Sachin Tendulkar with his form being absolutely remarkable.
Sehwag is just one of just four men to have scored multiple triple centuries at Test level and in actual fact holds the record for the fastest triple century.
Despite scoring 309 against archrivals Pakistan in 2004, Sehwag took his antics to another level in 2008 when he notched up 300 runs against South Africa off just 278 balls. His ability to turn the direction of the match within an over and his freakish career strike rate of 83.10 has him marginally ahead of South African skipper Graeme Smith.
(3) Ricky Ponting
The aggressive schoolboy from Tasmania just needed a little taste of success at the highest level and there was no turning back for the living legend they call Punter.
Ponting was a dominant force in world cricket from 2000-2010 with not only his batting ability, but also his determined captaincy nature and lethal ability in the slips cordon.
Although he dropped of dramatically in his final 12 months of Test cricket, Ponting still managed to score 9767 runs at an average of 57.45 throughout the 2000s, including 32 centuries and a further 42 half-centuries.
All young budding cricket fans who grew up trying to replicate the Aussie skipper in their backyards will be familiar with Ponting’s style.
Ponting is one of the finest captains to ever have played the game and despite losing three Ashes’ campaigns during his reign, the fact that he lead Australian to 16 consecutive Test match wins in a row says something about his ability to unite a squad.
A match of Ponting’s that truly does stand out dates back to 2006 in a Test match against South Africa. Ponting led from the front in the first innings to score 120 and then remained unbeaten on 143* in the second innings, the third time he scored two centuries in the one match.
(4) Sachin Tendulkar
The greatest batsman of the modern era, Tendulkar rightfully earns his spot at number four in the batting order without much debate.
Sachin was viewed as a religious figure by many in India. In a remarkable thirteen year period the little master continually piled on the runs with 10,080 @54.17 with 29 centuries and 45 half-centuries (since 2000). One of the more remarkable stats about Sachin’s career is the fact that he averages more runs away from India (54.75) than at home, proving he was truly capable of performing regardless where he had to play.
Tendulkar was well renowned for his poise and focus at the crease with his straight drive and notorious punch through the leg-side being synonymous with the great man.
Perhaps one of his strongest performances came in Steve Waugh’s farewell Test match in 2004 at the SCG. Despite the fanfare around the retirement of one of Australia’s finest ever cricketers, Tendulkar remained totally focused on performing in the last match of the summer after failing to trouble the scorers in the first innings on Boxing Day.
In true Tendulkar fashion, the master blaster piled on 241* runs to set up a drawn away series for his side, before another 60* in the second innings.
(5) Jacques Kallis
An absolute giant of South African cricket whom was way more than capable with both bat and ball in hand, Kallis is criminally underrated.
Kallis scored 9767 runs in the 2000s at a whopping average of 59.19! That’s more than Tendulkar, Ponting and Mahela Jayawardene and lets not forget the fact that he also took 292 Test wickets.
Kallis scored 36 Test centuries (since 2000) in his illustrious career. Kallis was always reliable whether coming in at number three, four or five for South Africa. He had rock-solid defence and even ability across both the offside and on-side. He would never panic and firmly believed in defensive-first mentality, with a career strike rate of 48.72
(6) AB De Villiers
Regardless of dodgy ICC player rankings – which seem to change every day of the week – I am fairly confident that when it comes to crowning the best batsmen in the world it is AB right now.
At 31 years of age AB has already got 7864 Test runs @51.39, with 21 centuries to go along with it. It would be no outlandish statement to suggest De Villiers has barely reached the halfway point of his career and if things go to plan he could be well on track to smash a few records.
His batting technique is extremely unique. He possesses the ability to stay low and quick but precise feet movements allow him plenty of freedom around the crease. Despite a number of class batsmen struggling against the great Australian outfit, De Villiers has never had this issue. He has scored 1600 runs against them over a decade, with five centuries.
(7) Adam Gilchrist
The wicket-keeping position was another extremely hard one to pick. After weighing up whether to play Kumar Sangakkara, AB De Villiers or event the great Mark Boucher, I have opted to go for Gilchrist. This is based on his revolutionary batting prowess and ability with the gloves.
Gilly played in 91 Test matches for Australia between 2000-2008 and boy oh boy did he make a significant impact! He ended up with 397 dismissals (362 catches and 35 stumpings) and was reliable as they came behind the stumps.
Not only did he score 5130 runs @ 46.63 in arguably the greatest Australian team of all time, he revolutionised the game with his attacking, hard-hitting style of play late in an innings. His x-factor ability allowed him to change the direction of a match in no time.
(8) Shane Warne
The number eight spot could have easily gone to one of two South African pace legends in Shaun Pollock or Makhaya Ntini, yet I have opted for the safer and more popular option Shane Warne.
Despite retiring in 2007, Warne certainly made a huge impact in the 2000s as Australia’s supreme leg spinner, collecting 357 wickets @25.17 in just 65 matches.
Warne somehow managed to find something in virtually every wicket around the world. He managed to turn the ball a mile and that combined with his deadly accuracy and mind games against opposition batsmen allowed him to have the upper hand.
Warney loved performing on the biggest stage of them all. In the Ashes he amassed 195 wickets.
His best year of Test cricket came just two years before retirement. In 2005 he managed to take a whopping 96 wickets in a calendar year, including 40 against England in the Ashes defeat.
(9) Dale Steyn
The current number one ranked Test bowler in the world has taken 402 wickets since his debut in 2004 at an average of just 22.56. The 32-year-old is still well and truly at the peak of his powers as he looks towards and exciting four-match series against England starting Boxing Day.
Steyn has all the attributes of a gun fast bowler: scintillating pace, supreme accuracy and the ability to swing the ball no matter where he seems to play. The remarkable things about Steyn’s statistics is the fact that his strike rate is just 43.99, the best of any bowler to play over 30 games of Test cricket ever. No wonder he is the fastest ever pace bower to reach 400 Test Wickets.
(10) Glenn McGrath
Australia’s greatest ever fast bowler plied his trade in the national team for 15 years, dating back to his debut in 1993. However Pigeon seemed to flourish as his career went on and despite only playing seven years into the millennium he truly did make a big impact.
297 wickets in just 66 matches @ 20.53, with 14 five-wicket hauls. McGrath was not super rapid with ball in hand, bowling at speeds of around 130km/h, yet his consistent length, deceptive seam movement and swing allowed him to take plenty of wickets.
Perhaps McGrath’s greatest innings came in the 2005 Ashes series defeat in England at Lord’s in the first Test match of the series. The Aussies were embarrassed early after being bowled out for just 193, but things quickly changed as a determined McGrath went onto claim five wickets within his first 30 balls to have the Poms in big trouble at 5-21.
(11) Muttiah Muralitharan
Murali took over 100 Test wickets against each of England, India and South Africa. 573 wickets @21.01 have him 220 wickets ahead of Warne in the same period of time and within a decade Murali also managed to pull off 50 five-wicket hauls and best bowling figures of 9-51.
Surely sometimes stats do have to tell the story?
Greatest Test Cricket XI (2000-2015)
1. Matthew Hayden
2. Virender Sehwag
3. Ricky Ponting ©
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. Jacques Kallis
6. AB De Villiers
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Shane Warne
9. Dale Steyn
10. Glenn McGrath
11. Muttiah Muralitharan
(12th) Shaun Pollock
It wasn’t an easy job. Leaving out guys like Kumar Sangakkara, Shaun Pollock, Alastair Cook, Mitchell Johnson, Rahul Dravid, Jimmy Anderson, Graeme Smith and Mahela Jayawardene wasn’t easy but something has to give!
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