News

Rest of the World squads named

The ICC has named 39 players in its combined squads for October's inaugural Super Series

Cricinfo staff
09-May-2005
Rahul Dravid, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Sachin Tendulkar and Inzamam-ul-Haq head the list of 39 of international cricket's biggest names announced today in the initial squads for the ICC World XI teams to take on Australia's Test and ODI sides in the ICC's Super Series in Australia in October this year.
Pakistan's outstanding tour of India has helped nine of their players gain selection across both squads, while England, India and South Africa all have seven players included. Sri Lanka have four, West Indies three and New Zealand two. No players were selected from Bangladesh, Zimbabwe or Kenya.
Announcing the squads at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai, Sunil Gavaskar, the chairman of the selection panel, explained that the sides boasted some of the most talented players in the world. "The squads are packed with fantastically talented players from around the world who will pose a serious challenge to Australia's supremacy in both forms of the game," he said. "It was incredibly difficult to confine our selections to just 30 players for each squad, but in the end and after much agonising and debate, the panel is confident that these are the best combinations of players for the challenge ahead."
The players chosen for the ICC World XI Test and ODI squads, by country, are:
Country
Test & ODI squad
Test squad
ODI squad
England
Andrew Flintoff Steve Harmison Darren Gough
Andrew Strauss Kevin Pietersen
Michael Vaughan Marcus Trescothick
India
Rahul Dravid Anil Kumble
Irfan Pathan VVS Laxman
Virender Sehwag
Harbhajan Singh
Sachin Tendulkar
New Zealand
Brendon McCullum
Daniel Vettori
Pakistan
Shoaib Akhtar Danish Kaneria Shahid Afridi
Inzamam-ul-Haq Younis Khan Shoaib Malik
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan Abdul Razzaq
Yousuf Youhana
South Africa
Mark Boucher Andre Nel
Herschelle Gibbs Graeme Smith
Jacques Kallis
Makhaya Ntini
Shaun Pollock
Sri Lanka
Muttiah Muralitharan Sanath Jayasuriya
Kumar Sangakkara
Chaminda Vaas
West Indies
Brian Lara Chris Gayle
Ramnaresh Sarwan
Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, said that the selectors had used their experience wisely in choosing an outstanding group of players. "There is awesome depth to the batting strength of these squads, with players like Dravid, Lara, Laxman, Sehwag, Tendulkar and Vaughan all averaging over 50 in Tests against Australia. There are genuine allrounders for the differing demands of Test and ODI cricket, and bowling which combines new-ball penetration and superb spin and seam options.
"It is also particularly exciting to see the names of a number of younger and emerging players recognised by the selectors. Players like Kevin Pietersen, Brendon McCullum, Andre Nel, Naved-ul-Hasan, Shahid Afridi and Irfan Pathan have forced their way into the squads on the strength of outstanding performances over recent months."
In making their initial choices, the selection panel of Gavaskar, Mike Atherton, Sir Richard Hadlee, Clive Lloyd, Jonty Rhodes and Aravinda de Silva took a range of key factors into account, including:
  • players' overall career records in both Test and ODI cricket
  • their form in both Test and ODI cricket over the past 12 months
  • their overall playing records against Australia and their performances against the world champion team in Australia
  • players' positions in the LG ICC Rankings for both Test and ODI cricket
  • the distinctive characteristics of the venues in Melbourne and Sydney which will host the games
Gavaskar explained that in making their choices the selectors had looked for qualities and character beyond statistical achievement. "While statistics were a significant form guide, we placed more importance on our knowledge of the players, their ability to perform on the biggest stage and their character in taking on such hardened opponents as Australia," he said. "We want the best flair and talent in the world, but we also need players with the qualities to dig deep when the going is tough and take advantage of any weaknesses or errors in the Australians' game."
Of the 39 players selected, 21 are named in both the Test and ODI squads, nine are included in the Test squad alone and there are nine players nominated as ODI specialists.
The World XI teams will take on Australia in a three-match ODI series in Melbourne on October 5, 7 and 9, and a six-day Super Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (October 14-19).
The two squads announced today will be trimmed to just 20 names in early July before the final teams to take on Australia are announced in August.
Combined prizemoney and match payments for the one-day series will be US$1.25 million, while the total money available for the Super Test will be US$1.39 million. The matches will be accorded official Test and ODI status.