World XI to beat India in India: The Sports Rush present before you a team combination which can beat India in India in Test matches.
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There is no hiding to the fact that the Indian cricket team has become a dominating force when it comes to winning Test series at home. While the Indian players are no slouch when it comes to playing the white-ball formats at home, them registering record-breaking streak in Test matches speaks highly about their prowess.
Having won 11 consecutive Test series at home, India have surpassed Australia’s 10-match streak (twice) in Test matches at home. With India becoming the first team to achieve this milestone under the captaincy of Virat Kohli, all eyes are now on the team which will stop their spree.
While there is no World XI series announced officially, it would be enticing if a combined XI takes on India in a bid to beat them in their own conditions.
World XI to beat India in India in Test matches
Top-order
Sri Lanka captain Dimuth Karunaratne is an ideal name to open the innings in a Test match in India. Having led Sri Lanka of late in addition to consistently scoring runs for them, the 31-year old cricketer is an experienced candidate having it in him to score against the Indian attack.
In the 39 Tests that Karunaratne has played in Asia, the southpaw has scored 2,904 runs at an average of 40.33 and a strike rate of 49.33 including seven centuries and 15 half-centuries.
The second opener’s slot was a tightly fought contest between Bangladesh’s Tamim Iqbal and New Zealand’s Tom Latham. It was the familiarity with the Asian conditions which worked in the former’s favour. In the last decade, Iqbal has scored 2,598 runs at an average of 42.59 and a strike rate of 54.72 including five centuries and 18 half-centuries in 32 Tests in Asia.
Having scored 3,609 runs at an average of 53.86 including 11 centuries and 19 half-centuries in 39 Tests in the last decade in Asia, Pakistan batsman Azhar Ali is an automatic contender for the No. 3 spot. Ali has the highest average among current non-Indian batsmen with more than 2,000 runs in Asia in the last decade.
Middle-order
Another intense competition was fought for the No. 4 position between Australia batsman Steve Smith and New Zealand captain Kane Williamson. The reason for selecting Smith over Williamson was his better record against India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan as compared to Williamson.
In 13 Tests in Asia, Smith has scored 1,200 runs at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 47.22 including four centuries and five half-centuries. Smith was the highest run-scorer (499 runs at an average of 71.28 including three centuries) when Australia last played a Test series in India in 2017.
Among the rare names who feature in both the batsmen and bowlers’ list in runs scored and wickets taken in Asia in the last decade are Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan and England’s Ben Stokes. Considering their skills, both the stellar all-rounder can prove to be effective in Test matches in India.
Having scored 2,560 runs at an average of 40.63 including four centuries and 13 half-centuries in 38 Test matches in the last decade in Asia, Bangaldesh wicket-keeper batsman Mushfiqur Rahim can easily perform the duty behind the stumps in this team.
Bowlers
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon has the highest wickets for a non-Asian spinner in Asia in the last one decade. In 19 Tests, the 31-year old cricketer has picked 95 wickets at an average of 31.24, an economy rate of 3.17 and a strike rate of 58.9.
Having dismissed 150 batsmen at an average of 24.35, an economy rate of 2.89 and a strike rate of 50.4, Pakistan’s Yasir Shah is the highest wicket-taker in Asia among current non-Indian bowlers. With Shakib and Lyon in the squad, Yasir will complete an apt spinning trio against the Indian batsmen.
Much like Yasir, Sri Lanka fast bowler Suranga Lakmal falls in the same category among fast bowlers. In 36 Tests in Asia, Lakmal has dismissed 71 batsmen at an average of 42.33 and an economy rate of 3.14.
When it comes to non-Asian fast bowlers, New Zealand’s Trent Boult has an impressive record in Asia. The left-arm pacer has picked 50 wickets in 17 Tests at an average of 31.70, an economy rate of 2.83 and a strike rate of 67.
