West Indies are one of the greatest cricket playing nations that have ever existed. They have had players that have been some of the greatest of all time. The West Indies team was great till the early 2010s. However after that they have seen a steady decline so much so that the fact that they win a Test Match has become a big thing. This will be a list which will show how incredible the West Indies were.
Let’s look at the All Time West Indies Test Cricket XI
Opening Batters
Gordon Greenidge
The first opening batter in this West Indies team will be Gordon Greenidge. The right hand bat will provide the perfect start at the Top with his partner. Gordon Greenidge has played 108 Test Matches for West Indies. He has made 7558 runs at an average of 44.72. Gordon Greenidge has hit 19 hundreds in Test Cricket and he has a highest score of 226. He was a part of the greatest West Indies team of the 1970s.
Desmond Haynes
The opening partner for Gordon Greenidge will be Desmond Haynes. This man has played 116 Test Matches for West Indies. He has scored 7487 runs at an average of 42.29. Desmond Haynes has hit 18 hundreds in Test Cricket. He has a highest score of 184. He and Gordon Greenidge will attack all the bowlers and the middle order will finish the job.
Middle Order
Shivnaraine Chanderpaul
This team has to have this man at number 3. Shivnaraine Chanderpaul has played 164 Test Matches for West Indies. He has hit a total of 11867 runs at an average of 51.37. He has hit 30 hundreds in Test Cricket and he has a highest score of 203*. There will be a couple of left handed batters in the middle order and they will play in different ways. Shivnaraine Chanderpaul is a man that has not got the recognition he so richly deserves.
Sir Viv Richards (C)
The number 4 and 5 of this team are 2 of the most stylish and most destructive players to have played the sport. At number 4 is the great Viv Richards. He is a man who has mastered both Test Cricket and ODIs. He played 121 Test Matches for West Indies in his career. He made 8540 runs at an average of 50.43. Viv Richards hit 24 hundreds in Test Cricket. He has a highest score of 291 and he was very close to hitting a triple hundred in Test Cricket. He was a player that struck fear in the opposition and he could win the game from any situation. Check here Best Sir Vivian Richards Innings
Brian Lara
At number 5 is a player that has 2 out of the top 3 highest individual scores in Test Cricket. Brian Lara is a man who has hit 375 in an innings in Test Cricket and he also hit 400* not out in an innings. He has played 131 Test Matches for West Indies. He has scored 11953 runs and he was the highest run getter in Test Cricket for a while. He has an average of 52.88 and he has hit 34 hundreds in Test Cricket. He is one of the select few to have hit 2 triple hundreds. He will be the captain of this team. You can check here the Best innings of Brian Lara
Sir Gary Sobers
Sir Gary Sobers is one of the greatest cricketers to have ever played the sport. He is also one of the greatest all rounders to have played. He played 93 Test Matches for West Indies. He made 8032 runs at a very good average of 57.78. He hit 26 hundreds and his highest score in Test Cricket is 365*. He has also taken 235 Wickets at an average of 34.04 with 6 Five Wicket Hauls. The opposition would not know what to do when they saw him at number 6.
Lower Order and Bowlers
Jeffrey Dujon (WK)
The number 7 and the Wicket keeper in this team is Jeffrey Dujon. He is the best wicket Keeper batter that has ever played for the West Indies. He has played 81 Test Matches for West Indies. He has made 3322 runs at an average of 31.94. He has made 5 hundreds in Test Cricket. Jeffrey Dujon has taken 265 Catches as a Wicket keeper in Test Cricket.
Courtney Walsh
This team does not need a spinner so there will be 4 fast bowlers that will fill the spots. The first one is the legendary Courtney Walsh. He is the bowler that has taken the most wickets for West Indies in Test Cricket. He has played 132 Test Matches in his career. He has taken 519 Wickets in Test Cricket at an average of 24.44. He has taken 22 Five Wicket Hauls in Test Cricket. He has his best bowling figures of 7/37.
Curtly Ambrose
Curtly Ambrose has to be in this team. He is one of the most destructive fast bowlers that has ever played for the West Indies. He has played 98 Test Matches. He has taken 405 Wickets in Test Cricket. Curtly Ambrose has an average of 20.99. He has taken 22 Five Wicket Hauls in his career. His bowling figures of 8/45 is his best ever. He will be the perfect bowling partner for Walsh. Read here about Best Bowling Performances of Curtly Ambrose
Malcolm Marshall
The third fast bowler in this team is Malcolm Marshall. He was the bowler that all the batters in the opposition were afraid of. He played 81 Test Matches for West Indies. Malcolm Marshall took 376 Wickets at an average of 20.94. He took 22 Five Wicket Hauls just like his fellow 2 fast bowlers. Malcolm Marshall was one of the fastest bowlers of all time. He has 7/22 as his best bowling figures in Test Cricket.
Michael Holding
Rounding off the bowling attack is the all time great Michael Holding. He was the bowler that could injure any batter. Michael Holding played 60 Test Matches and he took 249 Wickets in his career. He has an average of 23.68 and he took 13 Five Wicket Hauls. He has best bowling figures of 8/92. This 4 pronged fast bowling attack will send shivers down the spine of any batting order In the world.
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