Well I mean the whole point of a decade XI is to be based on performances from that time frame... I dont really care what “feels” right, Sanga was absolutely ridiculous this decade. 4851 @ 61.40 with 17 100’s speaks for itself. Only player with a better record this decade is Smith.Bit weird to seperate players by decade when their careers are usually divided between them. Sanga was great but retired halfway through and a 10s XI without Amla feels wrong.
Sangakkara never kept wickets in this decade.Cook
Warner
Sanga (wk)
Smith
Kohli
Younis
Shakib
Herath
Steyn
Rabada
Anderson
Given the middle order options I'd be prepared to pick another middle order option and give AB the gloves. In any case I don't think I'd pick him as the 3rd best middle order option.Alastair Cook
David Warner
Hashim Amla
Steve Smith
AB de Villiers
Shakib Al Hassan
Quinten de Kock (wk)
Ravi Ashwin (c)
Pat Cummins
Dale Steyn
Jimmy Anderson
AB was pretty crazy this decade too, averaged like 57.5Given the middle order options I'd be prepared to pick another middle order option and give AB the gloves. In any case I don't think I'd pick him as the 3rd best middle order option.
I'll probably start a thread later in the year/early new year for CW to select their 2010's Test XI.
He was. And yet, there was still arguably better. Chanders and YK averaged like 60, for example. So did Kumar.AB was pretty crazy this decade too, averaged like 57.5
Bit harsh on Graeme Smith and Virender Sehwag. I know they were at their best in the previous decade, but both remained class players towards the end of their careers and put up perfectly respectable numbers in the 2010s as well. In this decade, Smith scored 2,814 runs @ 45.38 with 9 centuries and Sehwag 2,338 @ 42.50 with 6 centuries.He was. And yet, there was still arguably better. Chanders and YK averaged like 60, for example. So did Kumar.
An excellent decade for middle order bats but other than Cook and Warner **** all good openers.
Both of them finished up quite early though, which is a problem regarding this. Also Sehwag's runs come exclusively from 2010 IIRC.Bit harsh on Graeme Smith and Virender Sehwag. I know they were at their best in the previous decade, but both remained class players towards the end of their careers and put up perfectly respectable numbers in the 2010s as well. In this decade, Smith scored 2,814 runs @ 45.38 with 9 centuries and Sehwag 2,338 @ 42.50 with 6 centuries.
Would be more accurate to say **** all good openers have began their Test careers in the 2010s. Azhar Ali, Chris Rogers and Aiden Markram all have decent averages, but they all played less than 25 Tests as opener. Tom Latham has the best average of any opener with an extended career who began his career in the 2010s: 3,164 runs @ 43.34 with 9 centuries. However, his credible record is entirely dependent on extreme minnow bashing against sides with poor fast bowling resources. If we exclude Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, Latham's record as opener is 1,670 runs @ 30.92 with 2 centuries.
England for comparisonHmmm a purely ICC stats Australian ATG, with the latest ratings...(Not saying this is my ATG 11, just following the ICC stats)
2 top openers, 4 batsman, keeper (batting rating) and 4 top bowlers (bowling rating)
Player Rating No
Hayden 935 12
Warner 880 46
Bradman 961 1
Smith 947 2
Ponting 942 4
Walters 922 18
Gilchrist 874 55
Davidson 908 16
Cummins 914 5
Warne 905 18
McGrath 914 5
The bowling actually has great variety and is a strong batting tail.
I get the point of putting in Miller as the best all rounder at 6, with Bradman, Gilchrist and that tail, you can weaken the batting, and Walters is really a home specialist
Next Opener is Lawry 878 48
Next Batsman are Hussey and Harvey at 921 and 20
Next bowlers are O'Reilly and Grimmet at 901 and 23, and then Johnston 900 25