Graham Gooch picks Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram for his all-time XI

Former England captain Graham Gooch on August 27 came up with his all-time XI and he has included Indian and Pakistani legends – Sachin Tendulkar and Wasim Akram – respectively, in his side. The 65-year-old revealed his choice through the official Youtube channel of the Lord’s Cricket Ground.

His side also includes three Englishmen and Australians each. Moreover, it has two West Indians and one South African. Gooch picked South African great Barry Richards and his former colleague Geoffrey Boycott as the openers. While Richards was known for his shots, Gooch picked Boycott for his rock-solid technique.

A solid batting and bowling unit

The former England batsman then picked Sir Vivian Richards for the No.3 position followed by Tendulkar whom he called “a humble man” and “an iconic cricketer” from India. Former Australian captain Allan Border, with whom Gooch had locked horns often in the past, was chosen for the No. 5 position.

After a solid middle-order, Gooch picked legendary English all-rounder Sir Ian Botham at No. 6 and former English wicketkeeper Alan Knott at No. 7. Shane Warne, the only spinner in the side, came at No. 8 and the three fast bowlers that followed are Akram, Malcolm Marshall, and Dennis Lillee.

With four specialist bowlers and a fifth in Botham and slow-bowling options in Tendulkar, Border and Viv Richards, Gooch’s all-time XI also looks a formidable bowling side. Batting-wise, too, it can send shivers down the spine of any bowler. Gooch himself played 118 Tests and 125 ODIs over a career that spanned two decades.

While he was England’s highest scorer in Tests till beaten by his own protégée Alastair Cook, he is also England’s only cricketer to have played three World Cup finals in three different decades (1979, 1987, 1992). Gooch scored 8,900 runs in Tests at an average of 42.58 and 4,290 runs in ODIs at an average of 36.98.

Graham Gooch’s all-time XI

Barry Richards (South Africa), Geoffrey Boycott (England), Sir Viv Richards (West Indies), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Allan Border (Australia), Sir Ian Botham (England), Alan Knott (wk) (England), Shane Warne (Australia), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Malcolm Marshall (West Indies) and Dennis Lillee (Australia)

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