Wisden releases Test team of the decade, only two Indians make the cut

With the decade coming to an end, Wisden on Monday released the Test team of the decade. The team was decided by Wisden’s Decade in Review panel which comprised of Lawrence Booth, Jo Harman, John Stern, Phil Walker and Yas Rana. In the list of 11 players, only two Indians managed to make the cut, while three players from England, two from Australia, two from South Africa and one from Sri Lanka were included.

While captain Virat Kohli is the only Indian batsman in the list, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is the only Indian bowler in it. Surprisingly, despite developing as one of the best pace bowling units in Test cricket in the last couple of years, no Indian pacer managed to find a spot in the team.

Also read: Virat Kohli ends decade with most runs, centuries, catches, man of the match awards - Details

Here is Wisden’s Test team of the decade:

1. Alastair Cook (England)

2. David Warner (Australia)

3. Kumar Sangakkar (Sri Lanka)

4. Steve Smith (Australia)

5. Virat Kohli (India)

6. Ben Stokes (England)

7. AB de Villiers (South Africa)

8. R Ashwin (India)

9. Dale Steyn (South Africa)

10. Kagiso Rabada (South Africa)

11. James Anderson (England)

Kohli’s inclusion in the team is hardly surprising. In many ways, this has been a decade of Virat Kohli. The numbers scream out his dominance in ODIs. hese are his numbers:

Virat Kohli in ODIs this decade:

- Most runs: 1,11,25

- Most 100s: 42

- Most 50s: 52

- Most Man of the match: 35

- Most Man of the series: 7

- Most fours: 1038

- Most catches as a fielder: 117

- Most matches: 227

India are currently placed at the first spot in ICC Test Rankings, 8 points ahead of 2nd-placed New Zealand. Kohli, is at the top position in ICC Test Batting Rankings at the moment, with 928 points, 17 points ahead of Australia’s Steve Smith.