Kevin Pietersen names his best Test, ODI and T20 XI

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen bid adieu to Big Bash League (BBL) with the 2017-18 season. Having seen it all in his career, Pietersen was staged to be the best ever English cricketer at one point, was leading the team and next, he was exiled from international cricket. Following the end of his journey in the BBL, he picked his best Test, ODI and T20 XI for Cricket Australia.

A look into the Test squad and one understands his liking for the attacking players, he opens the batting with two Indian greats. Virender Sehwag one of the most positive openers to have played the longest format of the game. He changed the face of Indian cricket with his shot-making that was powered by excellent hand-eye coordination. His partner would be master blaster Sachin Tendulkar.

At number three is arguably the best all-rounder cricket has had Jacques Kallis following him is Australia’s most prolific run-scorer and captain Ricky Ponting. One of Sri Lanka’s greatest sons Kumar Sangakkara takes the wicket-keeping responsibility. Then there is the dasher AB de Villiers another Protea player is all-rounder Shaun Pollock.

The bowling attack has just one spinner and three pace bowlers all of them greats of the game – three Aussies and just one Brit. Brett Lee, Shane Warne, James Anderson and Glenn McGrath form the force of this team with the ball.

Kevin Pietersen’s Test XI

Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), AB de Villiers, Shaun Pollock, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Glenn McGrath

He has a lot of names reappearing in the ODI team and let’s talk about the new faces. Sehwag’s partner in the ODI XI is the Jamaican Chris Gayle. Ponting takes No.3 while Indian captain and someone lined-up for breaking all run-scoring records in white ball cricket Virat Kohli occupies the fourth spot in the batting line-up. A couple of bowling changes bring in an additional spinner in Daniel Vettori along with former English pacer Darren Gough.

Kevin Pietersen’s ODI XI

Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Daniel Vettori, Shane Warne, Darren Gough, Glenn McGrath

For some reason Pietersen has immense faith in Sehwag and goes with him as the opener across formats, Gayle continues to partner him in white ball cricket. AB de Villiers who didn’t find a spot in the ODI team makes a comeback to the T20 team after being featured in the Tests.

While in his opinion Sangakkara is the best wicketkeeper in Test and ODI cricket, he trusts MS Dhoni with the job in T20s though Sanga still maintains his spot in the side. Lee, Warne, Gough and Muttiah Muralitharan are the bowlers he chose for the team in the shortest format of the game.

Kevin Pietersen’s T20 XI

Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, MS Dhoni (wk), Kumar Sangakkara, Brett Lee, Shane Warne, Darren Gough, Muttiah Muralitharan