Australia are one of the most dominant teams in Test Cricket history. They have been playing this format for 150 years ever since the format was introduced. There have been great batters and great bowlers across multiple generations. However none match the greatness of Sir Don Bradman. He was the one who inspired every generation after him.
Let’s look at the All Time Australian Test Cricket XI
Matthew Hayden
The first opener that will be in this team for Australia is the explosive Matthew Hayden. He has the second highest score by a batter in Test Cricket history with 380 runs in an innings. He has played 103 Test Matches and he has scored 8625 runs at an average of 50.73. He has hit 30 hundreds In Test Cricket for Australia. For 15 years till 2009, he was the tormentor in chief against the spinners. Matthew Hayden had a strike rate of over 60 in Test Cricket.
David Warner
The best opening batter for Australia in the past decade has been David Warner. He has played 112 Test Matches for Australia in which he has scored 8786 runs at an average of 44.59. He has hit 26 hundreds which also includes a score of 335* against Pakistan. David Warner hit 26 hundreds in Test Cricket at a great strike rate of 70.19. The two destructive left handers at the top of the order would cause Chaos for any opposition.
Sir Don Bradman
The greatest batters in the history of Australian cricket and among the Top 2 greatest of all time. Sir Don Bradman was the first true superstar of batting. Everyone knew his name and even after almost 70 years since he stopped playing cricket he is still revered. He played only 52 Test Matches for Australia but he scored a staggering 6996 runs at a mind boggling average of 99.94. This average is never being touched by anyone ever again. He hit 29 hundreds. He has a highest score of 334. Sir Don Bradman loved playing against England. Sir Don Bradman has hit 2 triple hundreds and 12 double hundreds. All the batters that have come after him look up to him like a God. Know here about Best Innings of Don Bradman
Ricky Ponting (C)
The batter that has scored the most runs for Australia in Test Cricket. He is also the captain of this team. There has not been a better captain for Australia than Ricky Ponting. He played 168 Test Matches for Australia and he made a whopping 13,378 runs in his career. He is the third highest run getter in the history of Test Cricket. Ricky Ponting has an average of 51.95 and he has hit 41 hundreds in Test Cricket. He was the captain of Australia during the golden era when players like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath were at their absolute best. He has a highest score of 257 in Test Cricket.
Steve Smith
It was a very tough choice between Steve Waugh and Steve Smith but Smith has had the much better average and he is the best of this generation. Steve Smith has so far played 119 Test Matches and he has scored 10,477 runs at a very good average of 56.02. He has hit 36 hundreds in Test Cricket so far with a highest score of 239. Steve Smith has a few years of top level test Cricket left in him and he will be looking to get near the 12,000 run mark. Steve Waugh played 168 Test Matches and he made 10927. In the upcoming Ashes series against England, Steve Smith will look to get past 11,000 test runs.
Adam Gilchrist (WK)
The best Wicket Keeper batter that Australia has seen in his history. Adam Gilchrist is someone that redefined the batting lower down the order as a keeper. He played 96 Test Matches for Australia. He made 5570 runs at an average of 47.60. Adam Gilchrist hit 17 hundreds in Test Cricket and he had a highest score of 204*. Rishabh Pant who plays for India looked up to Adam Gilchrist for inspiration. He batted at the top of the order in ODI Cricket and in the middle order in Test Cricket. He took 379 catches as a Wicket keeper in Test Cricket.
Keith Miller
Keith Miller is one of those players that the fans may not have heard about. He is one of the best all rounders that Australian cricket has seen in this format. He played between 1946-1956. Keith Miller played 55 Test Matches for Australia. He hit 2958 runs at an average of 36.97. He hit 7 hundreds in Test Cricket. He also took 170 wickets at an average of 22.97. Keith Miller took 7 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket for Australia. He will provide the balance to this team at number 7.
Shane Warne
This was absolutely a no brainer as Shane Warne is one of the 2 greatest spinners to have ever played the sport. He was the leg spinner who made leg spin bowling cool for the youngsters watching at home. He played 145 Test Matches for Australia. He took a massive 708 Wickets for Australia and is number 2 on the all time list by just 4 Wickets. He has taken 37 Five Wicket Hauls and 10 times he has taken 10 Wickets in a Test Match. Shane Warne has best bowling figures of 8/71. He sadly passed away a few years ago but his impact on the sport will be cherished forever. Check out here Shane Warne's Top 5 Bowling Performances
Glenn McGrath
The best fast bowler that Australian cricket has ever seen. Glenn McGrath was so good that he had the record for most wickets taken by a fast bowler until just a few years ago. He played 124 Test Matches for Australia. He took 563 Wickets in Test Cricket at an average of 21.64. Glenn McGrath took 29 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. He was known for his accuracy and bowling on one spot consistently. He and Shane Warne were one of the most lethal partnerships in world cricket.
Mitchell Starc
The best left arm fast bowler that Australia has seen. Mitchell Starc has been a constant along with Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood. He has played 100 Test Matches for Australia. He has taken 402 wickets so far in his career. He has an average of 27.02. He has taken 16 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket so far. He has some time to get close to the 450 Wickets mark. Mitchell Johnson was also there in the reckoning but the impact and the longevity of Mitchell Starc sealed it for him. He has won the World Test Championship with Australia. Here you can check about Best Bowling Performances of Mitchell Starc
Dennis Lillee
Rounding off the team at number 11 is one of the all time greats in Dennis Lillee. He was the fast bowler that inspired the best generation and he was absolutely phenomenal. He played 70 Test Matches for Australia. He took 355 Wickets which means he took more than 5 Wickets per Test Match. He had an average of 29.58. Dennis Lillee took 12 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. Dennis Lillee was a fast bowler that instilled fear among the batters and he used that fear to get wickets. This Australian team is filled with some of the greatest players of all time.
Must Read | Greatest Australian Cricketers of all time
