Sachin Tendulkar, Test cricket’s highest run-scorer, bats at No. 6 in Matt Prior’s all-time XI

Matt Prior's all-time XI does not feature a single West Indies, New Zealand or Pakistan player

Matt Prior chooses his all-time cricketing XI and it looks heavily dominated by English players. His list does not even feature players from impact countries like West Indies, New Zealand and Pakistan. His list is a unique one as it features six players who are currently playing for their respective teams. However, only one Indian can make into the list, Sachin Tendulkar. However, the positions few players are playing in can be considered as unusual. World’s highest run-scorer playing lower down the order hardly makes any sense. His all-time XI looks biased towards English players as it features Graeme Swann as specialist spinner over legends like Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne.

Let’s take a look at Prior’s all-time XI in detail:

Top Order: England skipper Alastair Cook opens the batting. This can be considered quite justified as he is the highest run-scorer for England having crossed 10,000 Test runs and still going strong. Cook will be opening alongside South African opener Hashim Amla. This decision too looks decent enough as Amla has an impressive average of 51.45. These two openers can be considered as clearly the best openers in Test cricket currently. Former Australian opener Ricky Ponting comes next to bat, this choice is quite debatable but still acceptable keeping in mind his record in Tests for Australia. However, Ponting did not get to lead this side which might surprise a few many people seeing his record as a captain.

WATCH: Former @englandcricket wicket-keeper @MattPrior13 selects his All Time XI:https://t.co/5b4PT20FEk

— Lord’s Ground (@HomeOfCricket) August 2, 2016

Middle Order: The middle order looks quite dis-organised though. His middle order comprises of AB de Villiers, Steve Waugh, Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara. The order he has chosen looks quite absurd. He picks AB for fourth spot followed by Waugh, Tendulkar and Sangakarra. With AB’s hard hitting skills, he would have been better down the order. Pushing Test cricket’s highest run-scorer on sixth spot looks unreasonable. Waugh at fifth spot looks fine. Even Sangakkara deserved to move up the order. AB’s 360 degree hitting skills would have worked better any day.

Lower Order: Prior’s lower order starts with surprises as he picks Stuart Broad over fast bowling legends. He is useful down the order with the bat but that does not qualify him for an all-time berth. He is followed by England spinning all-rounder Graeme Swann. His records does not support his claim to this spot but it’s Prior’s choice. South African lethal pacer Dale Steyn comes in next, who topped ICC bowler rankings for a long duration. At the last comes James Anderson, England’s leading wicket-taker and strike bowler.