Alastair Cook comes up with his all time XI

Following the steps of other team members, previous England Test captain Alastair Cook came up with his all time XI. Though his team did not feature a single Indian cricketer, the team looks like a tough one. Graham Gooch was one of finest Test player with just short of 9000 runs in Tests and a gigantic highest score of 333. Cook went with another Aussie as the second opener in the form of Matthew Hayden. The destructive nature of Hayden and the run scoring ability of Gooch makes them quite a formidable pair up front.

The middle order is an incredibly strong one with sheer legends from the game of cricket. While the left handed wizard Brian Lara grabbed the number three spot, he was followed by the ever-so-consistent Ricky Ponting. Arguably the greatest batsman of the generation, AB de Villiers has been added to the team to make it a team for all formats. However, ABD was not the only South African in the squad as Jacques Kallis was roped in for his tremendous all-around capabilities. Sri Lankan legend Kumar Sangakkara also made it into the XI. With over 10,000 runs in both the formats of the game, Sangakkara’s position in the team is justified.

The bowling department saw two of the greatest spinners to play the game of cricket. As you may have already guessed, Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan has been selected to lead the spin attack. And without a shade of doubt, it is the very best one. Cook picked up fellow countrymen James Anderson as one of his primary pace options. With a staggering 477 Test wickets to his name, Anderson has been one of the finest of the generation. Last but not the least, with the name of the iconic Glenn McGrath, Cook summed his XI. McGrath was one of the most disciplined bowlers to have played the game and has around 900 international wickets to his name.

The team:

Graham Gooch (c), Matthew Hayden, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, AB de Villiers, Kumar Sangakkara, Jacques Kallis, Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan, James Anderson, Glenn McGrath.

Watch the video here