Establishing the best decade for cricket: Finding the ATG XI from 12 decades of test cricket - then having a KO tourney to decide the best

[The Sean]

after a bit of thought I changed my vote to Philander. Really impressive record

You had it right the first time.

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Shakib vs Stokes for the number 6 will be interesting

I love me some angry Shakib....kicking stumps

 

[trundler]

Anything less than a clean sweep will be utter disrespect to the great man Battling Watling

 

[CricAddict]

Watling
Cummins

 

[honestbharani]

change my vote to QdK from Pant.

 

[mr_mister]

with the gloves Bairstow averaged the same as Watling in the 2010s, and scored at a quicker rate

 

[sunilz]

Dekock
Philander

 

[Red_Ink_Squid]

with the gloves Bairstow averaged the same as Watling in the 2010s, and scored at a quicker rate

Bairstow basically had one golden run with the bat circa 2016 which lasted around 12-18 months and he was very average outside of that period. I don't think losing the gloves to Jos Buttler (and struggling as a specialist batsman for the rest of the decade) should count in his favour. If you're picking based on a peak year or two then you'd take de Villiers over Bairstow in an instant, as his record as keeper in the 2010s was ridiculous. But obviously he only played half the decade and didn't keep for all of that time either.

 

[ma1978]

De Kock
Cummins

 

[ankitj]

Really split between Watling and DeKock now haha

 

[trundler]

Watling has series securing knocks in SL and UAE as well as countless clutch innings at home, including a double. Oh and he was super safe behind the stumps. Guy had serious X factor and formed extremely consistent partnerships with other NZ mainstays. Was as good as any non Gilchrist 6/7 and probably the best keeper in the world on top of that. C'mon

 

[Gob]

Pick DeVilliers as the keeper and at bat him at six ffs. Unlike Andy Flower, DeVilliers somehow caught. He looked ungainly at times so maybe it's the natural talent but he was good enough

 

[Gob]

De Kock
Cummins

Well that's what it supposed to do

 

[Slifer]

Watling
Cummins

 

[a massive zebra]

Steve Smith
Virat Kohli
Ravi Ashwin

 

[a massive zebra]

AB de Villiers
Vernon Philander

 

[srbhkshk]

De Kock
Morkel

 

[srbhkshk]

( In case that third bowlers sounds stupid - it's because I dislike picking Philander with his cherry picked matches and we already have Anderson to bully people in certain conditions, Cummins career really only started in 2017 so didn't play enough for me to put him in a decade side.)

 

[Fuller Pilch]

Watling
Wagner

 

[morgieb]

de Villiers
Cummins

I think Philander had the better career but I agree that a more obvious "1st change" option was needed.

de Villiers over Watling as I think de Villiers has to be there somehow (especially if we want to pick an all-rounder) and he still played 20+ Tests as a keeper.