CricTracker's current World Test XI

The Test cricket is undoubtedly the pinnacle form of cricket. For the ones who play it, or for the ones who analyse the game – the Test format is still revered to be the most challenging and the sought after format of the game. Over the years, the game of cricket has evolved a great deal. The formats have changed, and so have the rules. The one thing that has remained constant amidst all this is the testing nature of the longest format. No wonder why it has derived its name that way. Team India has certainly evolved as the team to beat in the recent times. Other teams like South Africa and Pakistan have had reasonable success as the touring sides when it comes to the five-day format. The English and the Aussies have no match when it comes to supremacy at home. Needless to infer, the quality of Test cricket has improved a great deal and it has all to be attributed to the emergence of some solid cricketers. Here we pen down a list of eleven such cricketers who we feel are the masters of the game at the moment. When you take a look at them as a combination, you will find a formidable lineup on any playing surface around the globe. Here is CricTracker’s current best Test XI: #1 David Warner (Australia) David Warner of Australia (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) Hard hitting Australian opener David Warner is one of the most destructive openers in world cricket at the moment. Irrespective of what format he plays in, Warner ensures that his aggressive game play is on the fore on most occasions. In the longest fomrat of the game, where most people tend to get under their shells, David Warner manages to stay the same. He is one of the premier performers and a senior campaigner in the developing Australian camp. He averages close to 50 and bats with a strike rate of over 74 in Tests. He has a top score of 253 in the format and is a certain superstar of the format. #2 Alastair Cook (England) England’s Alastair Cook. (Photo by Nigel French/PA Images via Getty Images) Alastair Cook is one of the seniormost players in the current lot of international cricketers. With over 156 Tests to his name, Cook has become a stalwart of the game. He has amassed over 11000 runs in the format and averages almost 50 with the bat. As on 2nd July, 2018, Cook has 32 tons to his name to go with 56 half centuries. The stylish southpaw has a top score of 294 and had missed out on the coveted triple ton very narrowly against India in front of his home crowd. Albeit he is no longer the leader of the pack for England in the Test cricket, his position in the team is very vital. Cook is one of the few English batsmen to have tasted immense success in the subcontinent as well. He deserves a place to be in the World Best Test XI for sure. #3 Cheteshwar Pujara (India) Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara celebrates after scoring a century. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP/Getty Images) Cheteshwar Pujara has been the batting mainstay of the Indian team for a long time now. In the 2016-17 season, his heroics combined with the efforts of Indian skipper Virat Kohli saw team India emerge as the firepower in the Test cricket. Pujara scored runs against each and every touring side during the season. He is the perennial run getter for India. With a top score of unbeaten 206 to his name in the format, Pujara averages almost 48 with the bat. Albeit his strike rate is on the lower side of fifty in Tests, he is ideally identified as the man for the format. The kind of application and concentration that he shows is the epitome of perfection. During a recent Test against Australia in early 2017, he played over 520 balls in an innings to put on a display of his temperament. #4 Joe Root (England) Joe Root of England acknowledges the crowd. (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images) Joe Root is one of the fab four of the modern day cricket – the other three being Virat Kohli, Kane Williamson, and Steve Smith. The aspect that differentiates Root from the league of the other three is his ability to score runs in all conditions. He toured South Africa, he got the runs. When he arrived in the subcontinent, he got the runs there as well. The adaptability factor is very high in Joe Root. Now that he is the captain of the English side, expect the youngster to only get better with time. He hit a brilliant 150 in his first game as the English skipper. Joe has a top score of 254 in Test cricket to go with an average of over 51. Moreover, he fits perfectly in the list as the captain as well despite being in the early stage of it. #5 Steve Smith (Australia) Steve Smith. (Photo Source: Twitter) If adaptability is a key asset that English skipper Joe Root possesses, then the Australian skipper Steve Smith is not very far behind. Steve Smith is also renowned for making runs at will in different conditions. Moreover, Smith has proved his ability by scoring runs in the most testing conditions. During a recent Test encounter against India at a vicious turner at Pune, Smith had hit a fighting century. In the very same game, the Indian team had failed to collectively score in excess of 110 in either of their two innings. This in itself was a testimony of the class and temperament of Steve Smith. He already has 23 centuries to his name in Test cricket. He averages almost 56 and has a top score of 239 to his name. #6 Jonny Bairstow (England) England’s Jonny Bairstow celebrates after scoring a half-century. (Photo by DIBYANGSHU SARKAR/AFP/Getty Images) Jonny Bairstow has been the unsung hero for England in the last couple of years. Every time he has stepped on to the field for the English side, he has scored runs. He was the second leading run getter in the calendar year 2016. Also, with close to 1300 runs to his name in the year, he had set the record books straight for most runs as a wicket keeper batsman in a calendar year in Test cricket. He has a top score of unbeaten 167 to his name to go with an average ticking over forty. He has been unfortunate to not be a part of the English side in the other formats of the game. However, he surely deserves a special mention in this list of best world XI players in the longest format of the game. He settles in as the wicket-keeper in the list. #7 Ben Stokes (England) South Africa batsman Hashim Amla survives an lbw appeal by England bowler Ben Stokes. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) English all-rounder Ben Stokes is arguably the hottest property in world cricket at the moment. The kind of value that he brings to the table is something that most teams dream to get. Stokes is a handy batsman in the lower middle order who can score the big runs when needed. Also, if the situation demands, he can use the long handle to utmost perfection. Moreover, he has been a proven wicket-taker and a partnership breaker for the English bowling attack in the recent past. The year of 2015 saw him rise as a Test cricketer. He scored 92 and 101 at Lord’s against New Zealand that year. In the next series, the Ashes, he bagged his career best figures of 6/36 to rattle the Australian batting lineup. Stokes has a top score of 258 that he scored against a strong South African bowling lineup. #8 James Anderson (England) James Anderson of England celebrates taking the wicket of Shan Masood. (Photo by Mitchell Gunn/Getty Images) James Anderson is arguably the most impactful swing bowling prospect in the modern day cricket. He is the leading wicket taker for England in Test cricket and continues to spearhead the bowling lineup for the English side. He has played over 135 Tests in the English whites. James Anderson has more than 500 wickets to his name. He bowls with an economy rate of under 3 per over, which is very impressive. He has as many as 25 five wicket hauls to his name and 24 four wicket hauls in Test cricket. His best figures in an innings is 7/42. #9 Ravichandran Ashwin (India) Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo Source: Twitter) Ace Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been the prime bowler for the national setup in Test cricket. He finished the season of 2016-17 as the leading wicket taker. He was instrumental in helping the Indian side make their home venues as the fortress during the season. He was leading wicket taker in the home series against New Zealand and England. He was the second leading wicket-taker in the series against Australia in the same season. His meteoric rise in the longest format has been immense. He was awarded with the ICC Cricketer of the Year award in 2016 and was also named as the Test Cricketer of the Year. He has been picking up five wicket hauls at will. #10 Kagiso Rabada (South Africa) Kagiso Rabada of South Africa celebrates dismissing Ben Stokes of England. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Kagiso Rabada is one of most talented young pace bowlers in the world cricket at the moment. Rabada arrived at the big stage in a grand manner with superlative spells in the limited overs cricket. Soon, he found his way into the Test and translated the same run of form there as well. He bowls with sheer pace to rattle the batsmen. Although he is very young to the game and the Test cricket format, he surely does have a bright future ahead of him. The way he is making giant progresses in the world cricket, expect Rabada to rule the longer format as well. He has 143 wickets to his name in just 30 matches. He has an average of just under 22 and a brilliant strike rate of 39.25. His best figures in Tests is 7/112. #11 Ravindra Jadeja (India) Ravindra Jadeja. (Photo Source: Twitter) When Ravindra Jadeja had started in the 2016 season, he was seen as the support role player for Ravichandran Ashwin. By the time he finished the season of 2016-17, he had emerged as the number one ranked Test bowler. He was the leading wicket taker in the home series against Australia and that saw him edge past Ashwin in the rankings. His ability to bowl in the right areas on the consistent basis fetches him wickets on a regular basis. Also, he is a very handy batsman in the lower order. He has been hitting an odd fifty every now and then. In a fixture against Australia, Jadeja had hit a brilliant 90 to show that he is not just a wagger with the bat. Jadeja has a miserly economy rate too, which creates pressure from one end and facilitates wicket taking opportunities from the other end.

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CricTracker's current World Test XI

Presenting to you the best line-up for the Test format.

#11 Ravindra Jadeja (India)

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