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Although Bradman played his last Test in 1948, no batsman before or since has come anywhere near his staggering Test batting average of 99.94.
Legendary left-arm fast bowler Wasim Akram, who picked up 414 wickets and scored 2898 runs in Tests, is the only Pakistani in the team, picked over his more celebrated compatriot Imran Khan.
Also included is his compatriot Shane Warne, who during the 1990s established himself as arguably the greatest leg-spinner the game has known.
Given that it is a UK-based publication built around the events of the previous English season, albeit one now encompassing the whole of senior international cricket, it is perhaps unsurprising there are four England players in the side.
W.G. Grace, the 19th century star who invented the fundamentals of batting, opening great Jack Hobbs, wicketkeeper Alan Knott, a mainstay of England teams of the 1970s and Sydney Barnes, a master of both swing and spin and reckoned by many to have been England's greatest bowler of all time, make it into the side.
West Indies provide three players in Vivian Richards, widely regarded as the best batsman of his generation, Garfield Sobers, frequently referred to as the greatest all-rounder cricket has known and Malcolm Marshall, viewed as arguably the best in a long line of top-class Caribbean fast bowlers.
India provide one player in the soon-to-retire Sachin Tendulkar, Test cricket's leading run scorer of all-time, with the team completed by Pakistan's Wasim Akram, long esteemed as the best left-arm fast bowler cricket has known.
Hobbs, Bradman, Richards, Sobers and Warne were named as Wisden's five players of the 20th Century in 2000.
Wisden World XI
- Jack Hobbs (England, Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1909) 61 Tests, 5,410 runs at 56.94
- W. G. Grace (England, CY 1896) 22 Tests, 1,098 runs at 32.29
- Don Bradman (Australia, CY 1931, capt) 52 Tests, 6,996 runs at 99.94)
- Sachin Tendulkar (India, CY 1997) 198 Tests, 15,837 runs at 53.86
- Vivian Richards (West Indies, CY 1977) 121 Tests, 8,540 runs at 50.23
- Garry Sobers (West Indies, CY 1964) 93 Tests, 8,032 runs at 57.78, 235 wickets at 34.03
- Alan Knott (England, CY 1970, wkt) 95 Tests, 4,389 runs at 32.75, 250 catches, 19 stumpings
- Wasim Akram (Pakistan, CY 1993) 104 Tests, 414 wickets at 23.62
- Shane Warne (Australia, CY 1994) 145 Tests, 708 wickets at 25.41
- Malcolm Marshall (West Indies, CY 1983) 81 Tests, 376 wickets at 20.94
- Sydney Barnes (England, CY 1910) 27 Tests, 189 wickets at 16.43
Read more
On DawnNews
Comments (27) Closed
Oct 24, 2013 02:05pm
The writer writes, "Also included is his compatriot Shane Warne, who during the 1990s established himself as arguably the greatest leg-spinner cricket has known." Did anyone hear about poor Muttiah Murlitharan from Sri Lanka, or compare his average or the total against the statistics of Shane Warne ? Or we don't count Sri Lankans in statics ?
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Oct 24, 2013 03:00pm
What a joke of a team, many legends left out. No modern day cricketers at all like IMO A Gilchrist is way better then Alan Knott. W G Grace really??
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Oct 24, 2013 03:49pm
when you are old you lose real sense of thinking, this is the case here is example of it
W. G. Grace (England, CY 1896) 22 Tests, 1,098 runs at 32.29
Sydney Barnes (England, CY 1910) 27 Tests, 189 wickets at 16.43
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Oct 24, 2013 03:55pm
If this to be believed impartial and seeing so many English players in the team one would assume that England would have been a world beater but we all know the English had been anything but that, clearly shows the Wisden's biasness.
WG Grace with 1098 runs over , Gavasker, Greenidge or Hayden
Alan Knott over Gilchrist
Give me a break
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Oct 24, 2013 04:05pm
Probably Murli would have replcaed Warne who looks pretty ordinary against India.....
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Oct 24, 2013 04:14pm
The list while it contain many obvious names, there are few errors. especially in terms of cricketing skills. it is a very English biased list. starting with W. G Grace. a mediocre batsmen at best with very limited games and runs. how you can have in ahead of people like Gavaskar or Greenidge or Barry Richards and while Viv Richards has had a fantastic presence in cricket how he over comes his compatriot Brain Lara is beyond me. Growing up as a Kent county cricket club fan, there is Alan Knotts my personal favorite, as much as I was a Fan of him he cannot be ahead of Boucher or Sangakara or even Adam Gilchrich, then you come to Shane warne, while no doubt a truly great spin bowler one of the best ,but the top spot on sheer merit has to go to Murlitheran the best of all time. Last but not least is S. Barns while good figures in them selves they cannot have any possible comparison to modern game and surely Glenn McGrath is way ahead of him and he should be the number eleven.
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Oct 24, 2013 04:54pm
It is an English publication so expect mostly Australian and English players in the side- this OPINION is therefore of no importance. Imran Khan not being in the world 11 is a laugh. Historically, he was definitely the 2nd best test cricketer after Sobers, given his batting, bowling, and captaincy. There are at least 3 spinners who were better than Warne DURING his playing days; while Muralitharan is in the very top league on his own.
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Oct 24, 2013 05:14pm
@CricketOne: Totally agree with you mate - Calling Warne all time great is a disgrace. His on field and off field antics hardly make him a likeable professional. Murli was the real magician - There isnt one batsmen in the last 20 years of cricket that he has not troubled with his bowling and look at the staggering 800 Test Wickets - you cant beat that.
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Oct 24, 2013 06:06pm
W G Grace in the openers spot is difficult to digest. He may have been great but he graced an era when only England and Australia played, so was never tested. Would have preferred Gavaskar there because he played without helmet in an era that produced the worlds best fast bowlers -- Lillee, Thomson, Roberts, Holding, Marshall, at an average above 50. Muralidharan should have been preferred over Barnes.
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Oct 24, 2013 06:31pm
2.W. G. Grace (England, CY 1896) 22 Tests, 1,098 runs at 32.29 What a DIS-GRACE. There are many test cricketers who have changed the fundamentals of the game, but to be in the side for that DHUH
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Oct 24, 2013 08:57pm
How come Alan Knott is selected ahead of Adam Gilchrist. Gilly's numbers are far better and he was one of the best wicket keeping batsman the world has ever seen. Also Sachin Tendulkar should be the opener in the team instead of W. G. Grace to make way for Jacques Kallis at no 4.
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Oct 24, 2013 11:11pm
I just can not believe Imran Khan is not in 11s, look there are not many fast bowler captains in the test history, Imran was great captain, bowler and batsman, my 11s are:
Sobers, Viv Richards, Bradman, Imran khan(c), Sachin, Kallis, Gilchrist, Wasim Akram, M, Marshall, Mcgrath, Murli.
Shane warne can not be on top, yeah he was a magician but no where near Murli who won so man matches for his country single handedly.
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Oct 25, 2013 03:06am
@Muhammad Bilal:
You mean to say that the cricket eleven, should contain at least twenty players ?
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Oct 25, 2013 04:36am
It's a great honour for Wasim Akram to have his name in WISDEN'S all time best World XI led by Don Bradman.
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Oct 25, 2013 08:46am
@Feroz:
Gavaskar also faced Imran and Sarfraz Nawaz besides facing Lillee, Thomson, Roberts, Holding and Marshall!
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Oct 25, 2013 02:33pm
Breaking News. The current Demi god of cricket Tendulkar has vowed to play for another 200 tests, as his name was not included in the Bradman's world eleven. Even, if his average drops to ten (first part of his name ).
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Oct 25, 2013 06:05pm
Not a surprise selection as there is a biased in it. First, how they can ignore the best al-rounder and fast bowler of all times, Imran Khan; He played 3-test series against the greatest team ever, i.e., West Indies, and all were drawn, when English team losing 5-0 (white wash). Just on the basis of his bowling, Imran khan, has better record than all great West Indian bowlers. On statistics bases Imran Khan is even better bowler than Wasim Akram. Here is a solid proof: At his peak in 1983, he single handedly defeated mighty Indian batting lines (Gavaskar, Vishwanath, Amarnath, Kapil Dev, Sundip Patel, Veksarkar, etc) (taking over 40 wicket @ around 12 runs), and beat them 3-0. At their peak both Wasim and Waqar (1990-1992 series ) not able to repeat or even come close to this, although Indian batting line was much weaker than to one Imran bowled in 1983. Both were not able to defeat India and series was drawn (0-0).
Another proof of Imran bowling is better than West Indian fast bowlers is that in 1983, he defeated India 3-0. In 1984, West Indies defeated India 3-0, but with the help of at least 5-fast bowlers.
So, this all sum-up, who was the greatest fast bowler of modern times. So, if there is an honest selection, Imran is there as genuine fast bowler and also as Captain. Further, I cannot say about Bradman, because I never saw him playing and also he only played either in England or Australia, if am correct. So due to this his name should not be included at all. In my opinion the greatest batsman ever is Viv Richard.
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Oct 25, 2013 10:05pm
Three Englishmen from pre 1910 era where their competetion was USA and mostly club level cricketers in other countries. Ignoring many great cricketers from 70s great WI and 00s great Australian teams. What do you expect from "we are the best" English man and Wisden.
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Oct 26, 2013 02:01am
I remember, in an interview viv Richards was asked if it's the most important innings of ur career and all ur career depends on it, who u would like to send on ur place or u ur self can also go for bat. He said Javed Miandad. I strongly agree with Richard here and suggest to add him. The man of crises. Tgnx.
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Oct 26, 2013 07:09am
For the sake of ALL Indians, can Sobers be replaced with Ajit Agarkar, THE all-rounder?
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Oct 26, 2013 12:44pm
Very Very debatable wisden.
The selected members are not being paid by wisden, so nobody minds anyways.
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Oct 26, 2013 03:47pm
@Ali Khan:
Dear Khan Bhai,
I really agree with u that team selection is biased. Imran khan was obviously a great bowler and best captain i have seen in word cricket till date he was a GEM so he must have been included in the squad but Wasim Akram was a magic like Shane Warne so I think he also deserve for it.
One great player also ignored by Brithish, all time great opening batsman respected 'Sunil Gavaskar' . if you are a cricket lover you must not forget that his inning of 129 runs at New Delhi in 1983 when he equelled Bradmans 29 century records not only this the way he treated Marshall, Michel Holding , and Andy Roberts no one can claim that he would face that bowlling attack with that much confidence and aggression. For the new cricket lovers ' I want to tell them" it was first three deliveries of the Test Match of dangerous Malcom Marshall and all of them were dispatched to the fence with class & aggression by Gavaskar who like to bat without halmet .
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Oct 26, 2013 05:47pm
The team picks itself really.
Allan Knott was a way better gloveman than Adam Gilchrist and had kept brilliantly against spin. In a team like this you would rather have someone who is flawless behind the stumps rather than an explosive wicket keeper batsman.
Many batsmen have better stats than Viv Richards but he always gets picked in these teams because of his utter domination of even the greatest bowlers.
Same goes for Akram. Many better than him statistically but he adds variety to the attack as a left armer. Perhaps there have been fast bowlers equally good but he was definitely the greatest swing bowler post WWII. Hence, he usually makes it to these world XIs.
Only iffy ones for me are WG Grace and Sydney Barnes as its really difficult to judge the quality of opposition they faced...
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Oct 27, 2013 12:41am
No Imran Khan? A better bowler, batsman, and captain than Wasim.
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Oct 27, 2013 08:10am
I wont say the list was biased but a lot has happened in the past 12 years after Sir Don Bradman left us. Whether it is in cricket or in politics there will always be a little exaggeration and few things are always overlooked. With all due respect everyone has the freedom to select and share their own dream team..My 11 pick would look something like this :
Viv Richards, Sachin Tendulkar, Don Bradman, Imran Khan, Gary Sobers, Jacques Kallis, Adam Gilchrist, Wasim Akram, Shane Warne, Curtly Ambrose & Mc Grath (12th Man - Muritharan)
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Oct 27, 2013 02:41pm
The pre war era cricket was very different from modern cricket, to compare I think is not fair. Its again slightly biased toward English - Australian cricket as these things always are.
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Oct 27, 2013 03:26pm
A very biased selection indeed!
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