Former Englishman Darren Gough picks his all-time XI

Darren Gough, the former England fast bowler, recently picked his all-time cricketing eleven. Even as the world is immersed in the ecstasy and jubilation of the 2019 World Cup, Gough, who has 467 wickets in national colours from 1994 to 2006, took time out and made his choices. The 48-year-old veteran started by going for the Late Martin Crowe, the former New Zealander, and the legendary Sachin Tendulkar as the openers.

Crowe has over 10,000 runs at the highest level with 21 centuries. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 53 after being diagnosed with lymphoma in 2012. Sachin’s records speak for themselves as he became the first in the planet with an ODI double-century and 100 international tons, a milestone that he achieved in the 2012 Asia Cup against Bangladesh. At number three Gough went for the ever so stylish Ricky Ponting, the former Australian.

Ponting amassed over 26,000 runs for his team to go with 71 centuries and 146 half-centuries. Thereafter, Gough picked former Windies’ batter Brian Lara, whose record of the highest individual Test score of 400* remains unscathed even after 12 years after his retirement. Lara notched over 22,000 runs for the West Indies team. It didn’t spring a surprise that Gough went for Jacques Kallis as his only specialist all-rounder in the team.

Steve Waugh is Gough’s captain

Kallis racked up over 24,000 international runs to go with over 570 wickets. Gough selected Steve Waugh as his skipper. Waugh was the captain of the Australian team at a time when the team was a near-invincible force. He also led the Aussies to glory in the 1999 World Cup. The swashbuckling Adam Gilchrist is Waugh’s wicketkeeper-batsman. With over 14,000 runs, he can be regarded as one of the best in the history of Australian cricket.

Spin-wizard Shane Warne is the only tweaker in the line-up. He finished with 1,000 plus scalps for Australia. Gough’s eleven also features the deadly Pakistan duo of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. The pair used to hunt in packs and used to torment oppositions with their ability to move the leather at sheer pace. Allan Donald, the former South African pacer, is the other speedster in Gough’s lineup.

Here is Gough’s ‘eleven

Martin Crowe, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara, Jacques Kallis, Steve Waugh (C), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Shane Warne, Allan Donald, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis