The decade 2010-2019 came to an end with respect to international cricket. South Africa defeated England at home, while Australia beat New Zealand in what were both impressive performances in the Boxing Day Tests.
Meanwhile, the decade was full of changes, as many of the players from previous generations called time on their careers, while many new faces cemented their legacies. The whole decade was full of performances that reeked of awesomeness and though it was a difficult task, the Team COC managed to conjure up the Test XI of the decade, given the plethora of players who performed amazingly well at present.
Therefore, check out the Test XI of the decade 2010-2019 (All stats from 01 Jan 2010 to 30 Dec 2019)
Perhaps the greatest England opener and one of the best top-order batsmen in the world, Sir Alastair Cook had an amazing career of 161 Tests in which he scored 12472 runs with 33 centuries at an average of 45.35. Having made his debut in 2006, Cook came into his own in the new decade of 2010 until his retirement in 2018.
Cook scored a tremendous 8818 runs in 111 Tests in these 10 years with 23 centuries to his name, with his highest score of 294 coming against India in 2011. He received a knighthood for his contribution to cricket and has established the legacy that will be unforgettable.
Hashim Amla was one of South Africa’s best batsmen in this decade along with AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis, who called time on his career midway in the decade. Amla became the first South African batsman to score a triple hundred in Test matches and his 311* against England in England remains the highest score as of now for the Proteas.
Amla scored 6695 runs in 85 matches this decade, before retiring in 2019 at an average of 49.96 with 21 centuries to his name. Amla made batting look easy and played well everywhere in the world, be it spinning tracks of India or pacy wickets of Australia, he scored runs in all conditions.
STEVE SMITH (AUS)
M: 72| Runs: 7164| AVG: 62.84| HS: 239| 100s: 26| 50s: 28
Australian Steve Smith had made his debut in Tests against Pakistan in 2010 as a leg-spinner but has ended the decade with 7164 runs in 72 matches at an astonishing average of 62.84 with 26 centuries to his name. The only dark mark that will remain with his name will be his involvement in the sandpapergate, which made him lose a year of cricket. He made a thumping return in Ashes 2019, with 4 centuries and 774 runs to his name.
Virat Kohli is another player who made his Test debut in this decade and has rivaled Smith in the run making accolades. He has also taken the Indian team to new heights as the captain, taking over from MS Dhoni in 2014. In 84 matches this decade, he scored 7202 runs at an average of 54.97 with 27 centuries and his highest score of 254* came against South Africa in 2019 in Pune.
Former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara called time on his illustrious career in 2015. In the 5 years he played in this decade, he made 4851 runs in 46 Tests at an average of 61.40 with 17 centuries. He scored his highest score of 319 against Bangladesh and then also scored 105 in the second innings of the same Test to emulate Graham Gooch’s feat against India in 1990.
AB DE VILLIERS (WK-SA)
M: 60| Runs: 5059| AVG: 57.48| HS: 278*| 100s: 13| 50s: 27
AB de Villiers left his fans saddened and shocked as he announced his retirement from the game in 2018 and left everyone wanting for more. However, he left his fans with 5059 runs in 60 Tests this decade at an average of 57.48 with his highest score of 278* which came against Pakistan in 2010. De Villiers also made 96 dismissals as a wicketkeeper with 92 catches and 4 stumpings.
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib-Al-Hasan played 42 Tests this decade and made 3147 runs and picked 162 wickets. He scored 5 centuries as well, with the highest score of 217, which came against New Zealand in Wellington in 2017. Al-Hasan carried both his team’s batting and bowling for the most part of the decade and came out on tops in the longest format of the game. His most memorable moment came when he picked two five-wicket hauls in Bangladesh’s historic Test win over Australia.
Australian Mitchell Starc picked 240 wickets in 56 Test matches with the best bowling performance of 6/50. He picked 13 five-wicket hauls at an average of 27.08. The left-arm quick took over from where Mitchell Johnson left and along with Pat Cummins, troubled every team which toured Australia in this decade. He found a new rhythm to his bowling as the decade came to an end something that was seen against Pakistan and New Zealand recently.
Proteas pacer Dale Steyn ruled the roost for most of the decade with 267 wickets in 59 Tests at an average of 22.29. Ongoing injuries led him to retire from red-ball cricket after playing 93 Tests and picking 439 wickets for his team. However, there were many amazing performances from the fiery pacer during these 10 years, especially as he helped South Africa dominate Australia in their own backyard.
Nathan Lyon has proved that if a spinner bowls the right length and line in Australia, they can be successful despite the pacer friendly wickets down under. However, what was impressive about him was how he changed his game when Australia traveled to Asia, wherein Sri Lanka in 2011, Lyon made his debut and took a wicket on the first ball of his career.
He continued picking wickets and has 380 of them in 95 Tests with a best of 8/50, which are the best figures by a visiting bowler in India. Lyon is the biggest weapon for the Kangaroos and they will hope that the 32-year-old continues with his venom and skills in the coming decade as well.
JAMES ANDERSON (ENG)
M: 106| Wkts: 429| BBI: 7/42|Avg: 24.35| 5W/Inn: 20| 10W/Mat: 3
England’s grand old man James Anderson became the highest wicket-taking pace bowler of all-time when he went past Glenn McGrath’s tally of 563 wickets recently. However, a majority of his 577 wickets came in this decade, as he took 429 scalps in 106 Tests from 2010-2019. His best bowling was 7/42 and he picked 20 five-wicket hauls in an innings along with 3 ten-wicket hauls in the match.
Despite nearing the age of 38 years and struggling with various injuries, Anderson has shown the resolve to play till the age of 40 years and with him becoming the first fast bowler to play 150 Tests, it seems he will reach his goals.
COC Test XI of the Decade 2010-2019: Sir Alastair Cook, Hashim Amla, Steve Smith, Virat Kohli (C), Kumar Sangakkara, AB de Villiers (WK), Shakib-Al-Hasan, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Dale Steyn, James Anderson