james anderson Has started the Ashes debate by taking name Joe Root At No. 4 in his joint all-time Ashes XI, surpassing the modern great steve smithThird highest run scorer in Ashes history. East England Given Smith’s excellent record against England and his status as one of the most influential Ashes batsmen of the modern era, the choice of the seamer has immediately divided opinion.
Steve Smith’s big omission from James Anderson’s all-time Ashes XI
Speaking on a broadcast segment, Anderson unveiled an XI full of veterans from both England and Australia, but made the key call to prefer his long-time teammate Root over Smith at No. 4. especially, ricky ponting Bizarrely he was listed as a wicketkeeper despite never having worn gloves in professional cricket, underlining that the practice was more about personnel than strict roles.
Anderson has handled the top order don bradman And alistair cookA pairing that blends England’s most successful modern opening batsman with the greatest Ashes batsman of all time. Bradman tops the Ashes run charts with 5,028 runs at an average of 89.78, while Cook scored 2,493 Ashes runs, including his iconic series score of 766 in 2010–11, which gave England their only Ashes win in Australia this century. At number 3, he has gone to Ponting, who scored 2,476 Ashes runs and captained some of Australia’s most impressive sides, further strengthening the top order before rooting for the number four spot.
Also read: Ashes 2025-26: James Anderson reveals roadmap for English bowlers in Australia
Joe Root and star-studded bowling attack on Smith
The flashpoint is Anderson’s decision to press Root in the middle order at the expense of Smith, whose Ashes record is the benchmark for modern batsmen. Smith has 3,417 Ashes runs at an average of 56 and 12 centuries, trailing only Bradman. jack hobbs On the all-time run tally, Anderson nevertheless singled out Root’s all-format influence and long-term role as the foundation of England’s batting. Root himself has passed 2,400 runs in Ashes competitions and is one of the top active scorers, although his average and conversion rate lag behind Smith’s staggering numbers.
Behind Root, Anderson doubled the firepower of England’s middle order. Kevin Pietersen Ranked at number 5, his key role in the 2005 Ashes and his tally of over 2,100 runs in the competition were highlighted. All round department facilities ian botham And ben stokesThe two men synonymous with era-defining Ashes spells – from Botham’s 1981 heroics to Stokes’ miracle at Headingley in 2019 – give depth to the XI with bat and ball. The bowling group is one of the greats of the Ashes: shane warneLeading wicket taker in Ashes history with 195 wickets glen mcgrath (157 wickets), stuart broad (153) and bob willis (123), a quartet that dominates the all-time wicket charts
Anderson’s selection, particularly the omission of Smith and the inclusion of Root and several English greats, ensures that this all-time Ashes XI will remain a hotly discussed topic as the current Ashes cycle continues.
James Anderson’s all-time combined Ashes XI
Donald Bradman, Alastair Cook, Ricky Ponting (wk), Joe Root, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Botham, Ben Stokes (c), Shane Warne, Bob Willis, Glenn McGrath, Stuart Broad
Also read: No James Anderson! Stuart Broad and Ricky Ponting choose combined Ashes XI of the 21st century
