England is the oldest cricket team that has played this sport. They were the ones that invented cricket. They have had generations of players that have been great as will be visible in the team made below. England are not the most powerful nation in cricket but they are the nation that has the biggest crowds for Test Cricket. There are 150 years of English Test Cricket to choose from.
Let’s look at the All Time England Test Cricket XI
Opening Batters
Jack Hobbs
Jack Hobbs is the first opening batsman in this England team. He was a player that played in the early 1900s. He was a batter that played 61 Test Matches in his career. He scored 5410 runs at an average of 56.95. He has hit 15 hundreds in Test Cricket. He has a highest score of 211. He will be a solid Opening batter who can bat long innings. Jack Hobbs will have a left handed batter as his partner.
Alastair Cook
The second opening batter in this team will be Alastair Cook. This team cannot be made without him in it. He has played 161 Test Matches in his career. He has scored 12472 runs at an average of 45.35. He has hit 33 hundreds in Test Cricket. He has a highest score of 294 which was just 6 short of a triple hundred. He will be the more attacking left handed opening batter and provide a perfect foil for Jack Hobbs.
Middle Order
Wally Hammond
At number 3 is one of the all time greats in English cricket and his name is Wally Hammond. Wally Hammond is one of those batters that inspired generations of English batters to play test cricket. He has played 85 Test Matches for England. He made 7249 runs at a very good average of 58.46. He hit 22 hundreds as well as 7 double hundreds and a triple hundred which resulted In his highest test score of 336*. Wally Hammond had an incredible conversion rate from 50s to 100s. He is still in the All Time XI of every cricket pundit.
Joe Root (C)
One of the few players in this list that still has a very active career in Test Cricket. Joe Root has so far played 158 Test Matches for England. He has scored 13543 runs and counting and has become the second highest run getter in the history of Test Cricket. He has an average of 51.29. Joe Root has hit 39 hundreds in Test Cricket so far and he will look to catch up to the greatest Sachin Tendulkar in terms of runs and hundreds in Test Cricket. Joe Root will be at number 4 in this team. Read here best innings of Joe Root in Test Cricket
Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen was the batter that revolutionized batting in Test Cricket for England. He was the one who brought the switch hit and he was attacking every bowling attack. He played 104 Test Matches for England. He made 8181 runs at an average of 47.28. Kevin hit 23 hundreds and he has a highest score of 227 in Test Cricket. Kevin Pietersen at number 5 will send fear to the opposition as he can take the match away from them. He could have played much more cricket in the longest format.
Ian Botham
This place was a difficult call between two players. Sir Ian Botham was one player and the other was the current captain for England Ben Stokes. Although Ben Stokes has 1800 more runs than Ian Botham, the fact that Sir Ian Botham has close to 400 wickets in Test Cricket while scoring over 5000 runs was the clincher. Sir Ian Botham has played 102 Test Matches for England. He has scored 5200 runs at an average of 33.55. He has hit 14 hundreds in Test Cricket. Sir Ian Botham has taken 383 wickets in Test Cricket which makes him the greatest all rounder England has ever seen. At number 6 he is the perfect man.
Lower Order and Bowlers
Alan Knott (WK)
The Wicket keeper in this team is Alan Knott. He has been the one who has had a consistent run and he has done well for England. He has played 95 Test Matches for England. He has made 4389 runs at an average of 32.75. Alan Knott took 250 Catches as a Wicket keeper in Test Cricket. He also had 19 stumpings to his name. He will deepen the batting order for England.
Jim Laker
This was an easy selection as Jim Laker is one of the most iconic bowlers that England cricket has ever seen. He is a man who has played 46 Test Matches for England. He has taken 193 Wickets at an average of 21.25. He took 19 out of the 20 wickets in a Test Match where he took 10 wickets in an innings and 8 wickets in the other innings. This is a record that will never be broken. Jim Laker took 9 Five Wicket Hauls. He will be the spin bowling option.
James Anderson
The third highest Wicket taker in the history of Test Cricket and the highest Wicket taker by a fast bowler in Test Cricket has to be in this team. Jimmy Anderson is perhaps the greatest fast bowler to play the sport. He played a mammoth 188 Test Matches. He took 704 Wickets at an average of 26.45. He has taken 32 Five Wicket Hauls and his best bowling figures are 7/42. Jimmy Anderson wanted to play more Test Cricket but the English Team management wanted to move on from the great man. Read here Best bowling of James Anderson in Test Cricket
Stuart Broad
Jimmy Anderson and Stuart Broad are the bowling pair that have the highest Wickets between them. Stuart Broad has taken 604 Wickets from 167 Test Matches. He was also an easy selection in this team. He has an average of 27.68. He has taken 20 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. His best bowling figures are 8/15. He and Jimmy Anderson will be the fast bowling duo and they can take wickets in any condition. Check here Best bowling of Stuart Broad in Test Cricket
Bob Willis
Bob Willis is the last man in this team. He is the fast bowler that will strike fear in the opposition. He played 90 Test Matches for England. He took 325 Wickets in Test Cricket at an average of 25.20. Bob Willis has taken 16 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. He has best bowling figures of 8/43. He will be the strike bowler and Jim Laker will be used when the 3 fast bowlers need a rest. This English team is a mixture from all the generations and that shows the strength of English Test Cricket.
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