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Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has picked his dream Test XI of players he has played against in his career. Broad, one of the greatest modern-era fast bowlers, stunned many by leaving out India’s batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and star pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was recently declared the greatest fast bowler of all time.
Broad’s all-time Test XI of cricketers he faced on the field features some of the biggest match-winners in Test cricket history, with a powerful batting line-up and a world-class bowling attack. However, Tendulkar’s and Bumrah’s surprising exclusions left many bewildered.
Stuart Broad shares his Test XI of players he has played against; Kumar Sangakkara to open with Graeme Smith
Stuart Broad dropped the bombshell via a Wisden Cricket video in collaboration with Charles Tyrwhitt on June 18. The former England fast bowler picked Graeme Smith and Kumar Sangakkara as his openers. The former South Africa captain brings solid leadership and consistency with over 9,000 runs, while the Sri Lankan legend adds class with over 12,000 runs.
Even though Sangakkara was mainly a middle-order batter, Broad, who recently backed Ben Stokes to lead England in 2027 Ashes, has drafted the former Sri Lanka captain as an opener to fit the team balance.
He said, “Cheteshwar Pujara was a nightmare, and Kane Williamson was a nightmare, but they can’t fit opening the batting. Younis Khan was hard work. Did Kumar open the tests? It was mainly three, wasn’t it? Okay, I’m going to move Kumar to the top with Graeme.”
Stuart Broad’s middle order packed with modern greats
The Englishman’s middle order looks very strong, with Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, and Steve Smith at numbers 3, 4, and 5. These three are known for scoring runs in all conditions and handling pressure situations in the toughest format of the game.
The Australian legend is the third all-time scorer in Tests with 13378 runs, while Kohli retired with 9230 runs to his name. Smith has 10763 runs to his name in Tests. One of the greatest all-rounders the game has ever seen, Jacques Kallis was drafted at number 6, giving balance with both bat and ball. The South African legend has 13289 runs and 292 wickets to his name in Test cricket.
Another South African legend, AB de Villiers, was slotted at number 7 for his explosive batting style by Broad. De Villiers finished his career with 8765 runs at an average of 50.66 in 114 Test matches.
Broad goes gaga over Mitchell Starc as he picks bowling attack
When it comes to the bowling attack, Stuart Broad went with pace-heavy options. Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc are included by the former England fast bowler for their speed and wicket-taking abilities. Johnson (313 wickets) was known for his aggression, while Starc (433* wickets in just 105 Tests) continues to trouble batters with his swing and deadly yorkers.
Picking Mitchell Starc over Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, Broad said, “I’m going to go Starc. Just most recently, watching him still leading that attack and bowling 145 clicks, hitting the stump, swinging it. Unbelievable, it’s a good side to that.”
Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn (439 wickets) also found a place in the former England fast bowler’s team. Well, Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan is the only specialist spinner in Broad’s ultimate playing XI of the players he faced. He is the highest wicket-taker in Test history with 800 wickets, making him an automatic choice in the side.
Stuart Broad names Pat Cummins as drinks boy in hltimate Test XI
Adding a fun twist to the segment, Broad named Pat Cummins as the 12th man. He joked that Cummins has achieved so much in cricket that giving him the drinks duties is a joke.
The Englishman said, “Cummins can run the drinks because everything just goes well in his life. He deserves to run drinks for a Test match, I think. Captain of Australia, winning World Cups, great in the IPL, face of Australian cricket, so he should run the drinks.”
However, Sachin Tendulkar’s and Jasprit Bumrah’s exclusion left many stunned. Bumrah has been one of India’s most impactful Test bowlers with his accuracy, reverse swing, and match-winning spells, while Tendulkar remains the all-time leading run scorer with 16,000 runs in Test cricket.
Stuart Broad’s ultimate Test XI of rivals:
Graeme Smith, Kumar Sangakkara, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Dale Steyn, Muttiah Muralitharan
12th Player: Pat Cummins
Stuart Broad had some tough decisions to make when picking his ultimate Test XI of cricketers he’s played against 👀
Wisden 🤝 @ctshirts @StuartBroad8 #Cricket #CricketVideos #EnglandCricket pic.twitter.com/oFtXqEBjGn
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 18, 2026
