Line and Length
Cricketer Of The Year
How would you go about selecting a current International XI to play the longer format of the game if you were restricted to just one player from each Test playing nation?
A number of dilemmas occur. For instance should the Australian representative be Steve Smith or Pat Cummings or the New Zealand selection be Tom Latham or Neil Wagner? Then there's India. Who gets in, Virat Kholi or Ravi Ashwin?
In the end I named the three batsmen in my side but is the line-up top heavy?
Here is my International XI
Tom Latham (NZ) /
Dimuth Karunaratne (SL) /
Babar Azam (P) /
Steve Smith (Aus) /
Virat Kholi (I) (c) /
Ben Stokes (E) /o
Mushfiqur Rahim (B) wk/
Jason Holder (WI) o/
Rashid Khan (Afg) o
Kyle Jarvis o
Kagiso Rabada (SA) o
I initially had Brendan Taylor slotted in at #6 (hence my comment about a top-heavy line-up) but thought the bowling looked a bit thin so I swapped him for Jarvis.
I fought over who should bat at #4 - Smith or Kholi. In the end I gave Smith the spot and the captaincy to Kholi.
I welcome your thoughts and alternative selections.
A number of dilemmas occur. For instance should the Australian representative be Steve Smith or Pat Cummings or the New Zealand selection be Tom Latham or Neil Wagner? Then there's India. Who gets in, Virat Kholi or Ravi Ashwin?
In the end I named the three batsmen in my side but is the line-up top heavy?
Here is my International XI
Tom Latham (NZ) /
Dimuth Karunaratne (SL) /
Babar Azam (P) /
Steve Smith (Aus) /
Virat Kholi (I) (c) /
Ben Stokes (E) /o
Mushfiqur Rahim (B) wk/
Jason Holder (WI) o/
Rashid Khan (Afg) o
Kyle Jarvis o
Kagiso Rabada (SA) o
I initially had Brendan Taylor slotted in at #6 (hence my comment about a top-heavy line-up) but thought the bowling looked a bit thin so I swapped him for Jarvis.
I fought over who should bat at #4 - Smith or Kholi. In the end I gave Smith the spot and the captaincy to Kholi.
I welcome your thoughts and alternative selections.