Very recently I posted my all-time cricket team, noting how it was an almost impossible task considering the innumerable variables and permutations involved. I now present a 2nd XI that, in my view, may even defeat the 1st World XI chosen earlier. Several fans also suggested that I select a team capable of doing just that.
This time I have preferred great all-rounders over specialists to match the impact of Garfield Sobers, and included two batsmen who were known to overshadow Don Bradman on difficult pitches. My 1st XI had great specialists but only one genuine all-rounder. It also did not include two specialist opening batsmen.
1. Jack Hobbs – Arguably the best batsman of all time across all conditions, considering he amassed 61,237 runs and scored 197 centuries in an era of wet, bowler-friendly pitches. His great innings as an opener with Herbert Sutcliffe at Melbourne in 1928–29, scoring 129, and at The Oval in 1926, immortalised him. It is hard to imagine any modern-day great equalling Hobbs on treacherous tracks. Even his Test average of 56.94 does not fully do justice to his mastery.
2. Sunil Gavaskar – Broke world batting records after the war while facing the most lethal pace attacks. Even if sometimes defensive, he played a decisive role in major wins such as Port of Spain (1970–71), Trinidad (1975–76), and against Pakistan at Madras (1979–80). His 221 at The Oval almost brought India a miraculous victory while chasing a record target. Technically a model opener, he rarely let a bad ball go unpunished.
3. George Headley – Carried a weak West Indies side almost single-handedly, scoring a staggering share of his team’s total runs. On wet wickets, he even outscored Bradman. His unbeaten 270 secured West Indies’ first-ever series win in 1934–35, after his earlier 223 helped draw the rubber. A master on the back foot and equally fluent on both sides of the wicket, Headley was more reliable in crises than even Lara or Viv Richards.
4. Walter Hammond – Unfortunate to play in Bradman’s era, yet still made a staggering impact, matching his rival in pure domination at his best. No one drove more powerfully in his day. Hammond averaged 58.45, scored 7,249 runs with 22 centuries, and took 85 Test wickets. He conquered top attacks with disdain and once scored the fastest Test triple century of his era.
5. Graeme Pollock – A left-hander comparable to Gary Sobers, with a career tragically curtailed by apartheid. His Test average of 60.97 is second only to Bradman. His 125 at Trent Bridge in 1965 was a masterpiece, elevating batting to the realm of art. He could strike the ball with unmatched ease and authority.
6. Keith Miller – The most dynamic all-round cricketer of his time, often outstanding with both bat and ball. Miller could produce magical spells and score at an electrifying rate, creating some of the most explosive match-winning impacts in cricket history.
7. Ian Botham – At his best, the greatest match-winner of all, even surpassing Sobers in sheer impact. His feats in the 1980 Jubilee Test at Mumbai, where he took 13 wickets and scored a century, and in the 1981 Ashes, remain unmatched. He resurrected England almost single-handedly. A highly intelligent bowler with mastery of swing and the inswinging half-volley, and one of the most explosive batsmen after Viv Richards.
8. Imran Khan (c) – The most dynamic and influential cricketer of his era, whose leadership transformed Pakistan cricket. At his peak he was the world’s fastest and best pace bowler as well as the finest all-rounder. He outperformed Botham in England in 1982 and 1987, and was the best-performing pacer against the mighty West Indies. A pioneer of reverse swing, he evolved into a highly consistent and dependable batsman late in his career.
9. Alan Knott (wk) – In terms of pure wicketkeeping skill, he towered above his contemporaries, with almost magical hands. Also a valuable batsman, he played several match-saving innings against top attacks.
10. Dennis Lillee – The most complete classical fast bowler, fusing aggression with intelligence and skill. His arsenal included a lethal outswinger, leg-cutter, and bouncer. His 6–62 and 5–78 at Melbourne and 7–89 at The Oval in 1981 showed his brilliance. He took 79 wickets in 15 World Series supertests, underscoring his domination. Including unofficial matches, he claimed 455 scalps. His only shortcoming was limited exposure to subcontinental wickets.
11. Abdul Qadir – Even if not the most perfect spinner, he was undoubtedly among the hardest to read. Qadir seemed to perform magic with his googlies and took spin bowling creativity to new realms. He shaped memorable wins at Lord’s in 1982 and against West Indies at Faisalabad in 1986–87.
Imran Khan would captain this team, with Alan Knott as wicketkeeper.
For reference, my 1st XI comprised Barry Richards, Tendulkar, Bradman, Viv Richards, Lara, Sobers, Gilchrist, Warne, Marshall, Wasim Akram and Ambrose.
In this new team, the combined effect of all-rounders like Botham, Miller and Imran could match or even surpass the impact of Sobers. Hobbs and Gavaskar could form a more effective opening pair than Tendulkar and Barry Richards. Headley, Hammond and Pollock, across varying conditions, could be as influential as Bradman, Viv Richards and Lara. The attack of Lillee, Imran, Miller, Botham and Qadir could rival that of Ambrose, Marshall, Wasim, Sobers and Warne. This 2nd XI also has a notably stronger tail.
Noteworthy omissions include Jacques Kallis, Glenn McGrath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Subhas Gupte, Allan Border, Greg Chappell, Richard Hadlee, Steve Smith, Alan Davidson and Ricky Ponting.
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*Freelance journalist
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