New Zealand defeated India by 8 wickets to clinch the inaugural World Test Championship (WTC) title in Southampton last Wednesday (June 23).
The WTC final was severely affected by inclement weather and the match officials had to use the backup day to make up for the lost time.
On the reserve sixth day, the Kiwi pacers bowled out India for 170 in their second innings and chased down the target of 139 with 7.1 overs left.
Almost a week after the marquee game, former India cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra picked a World XI which can challenge the WTC winners in their backyard.
Chopra opted to go with India’s Rohit Sharma and Sri Lanka skipper Dimuth Karunaratne as the two openers.
"Rohit Sharma has scored his runs at an average over 60. He has four centuries to his name, which also includes double hundreds. Dimuth Karunaratne will be there along with him. He has scored 999 runs at an average of 55.5," he said in a video posted on his Youtube channel.
Aakash Chopra slotted Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne, who is the leading run-getter in the first WTC cycle with 1675 runs in 13 matches at an average of 72.82, to bat at No. 3 position.
"After that, I have picked Steve Smith. He has 1341 runs at an average of 63. He has struck four centuries and won a Test match single-handedly. That was the Ashes Test match and eventually scored runs against India as well," he said.
There were no places for India skipper Virat Kohli and Pakistan captain Babar Azam in Chopra’s World XI to take on New Zealand.
He went ahead with England Test captain Joe Root at No.4 followed by Australia’s Steve Smith.
"At No.4, I have kept Joe Root. Yes Kohli and Babar Azam, you are not there. He has scored 1660 runs, of course, they play more matches, which includes double centuries in India, Sri Lanka. If an English batsman comes to Asia and scores runs, that will always be counted for much more than what it is," he stated.
"After that, I have picked Steve Smith. He has 1341 runs at an average of 63. He has struck four centuries and won a Test match single-handedly. That was the Ashes Test match and eventually scored runs against India as well," he further remarked.
Chopra preferred England’s Ben Stokes over India’s Ravindra Jadeja and West Indies’ Jason Holder for the all-rounder spot.
"At No.6, I have got Ben Stokes. No Jason Holder or Ravindra Jadeja. You will need Ben Stokes' bowling for sure. He has scored 1334 runs, almost the same as Steve Smith, at an average of 46 and he has taken wickets as well."
India’s Rishabh Pant is the designated wicketkeeper-batsman in Chopra’s team.
"Buttler could have been the keeper as well but I have picked Rishabh Pant in my side. He has scored more than 700 runs at an average of nearly 40. He scored a century against England but he is the game-changer," he opined.
Veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, highest wicket-taker of WTC, is the third Indian in Chopra’s World XI, which also features Pat Cummins (Australia), Stuart Broad (England) and Josh Hazlewood (Australia) as pacers.
"I have picked Pat Cummins of course. He has taken 70 wickets. Ravichandran Ashwin - 71 in total now. He is the only spinner.
"Stuart Broad, I have kept him in my team for his 69 wickets at an average of 20. I am slightly split for No.11 because I have Shami, Hazlewood, Nortje and Starc. The thing that goes against Shami is that he has taken just the one fifer. I am going with Hazlewood," he said.
Aakash Chopra's World XI to take on WTC winners New Zealand:
Rohit Sharma, Dimuth Karunaratne, Marnus Labuschagne, Joe Root (c), Steve Smith, Ben Stokes, Rishabh Pant (wk), Pat Cummins, Ravichandran Ashwin, Stuart Broad, Josh Hazlewood
