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Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad has selected his dream Test XI of players against whom he has played in his career. Broad, one of the greatest fast bowlers of the modern era, surprised many by ousting India’s legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar and star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, who was recently declared the greatest fast bowler of all time.
Among the cricketers Broad faced on the field, his all-time Test XI includes some of the greatest match-winners in Test cricket history, with powerful batting line-ups and world-class bowling attacks. However, the surprise exclusion of Tendulkar and Bumrah left many bewildered.
Stuart Broad shares his Test XI of players he has played against; Kumar Sangakkara will open with Graeme Smith
Stuart Broad joins Charles Tyrwhitt on June 18 to blast through the Wisden Cricket video. The former England fast bowler chose Graeme Smith and Kumar Sangakkara as his opening batsmen. The former South African 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 primarily a middle-order batsman, Broad, who recently backed Ben Stokes to lead England in the 2027 Ashes, has chosen the former Sri Lanka captain as the opening batsman to fit the balance of the team.
He said, “Cheteshwar Pujara was a nightmare, and Kane Williamson was a nightmare, but they may not be fit to open the batting. Younis Khan was working hard. Did Kumar open in the Test? It was mainly the three, wasn’t it? OK, I’m going to take Kumar at the top with Graeme.”
Stuart Broad’s middle order is full of modern greats
England’s middle order looks very strong, with Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli and Steve Smith at No. 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 13,378 runs, while Kohli retired with 9,230 runs to his name. Smith has 10763 runs in his name in Tests. Jacques Kallis, one of the greatest all-rounders the game has ever seen, was selected at number six, providing balance with both bat and ball. The South African legend has 13289 runs and 292 wickets in his name in Test cricket.
Another South African legend, AB de Villiers, was placed at number 7 by Broad for his explosive batting style. De Villiers scored 8765 runs in 114 test matches in his career at an average of 50.66.
Broad gushes over Mitchell Starc while choosing bowling attack
When it comes to the bowling attack, Stuart Broad went with the fast-paced options. Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc have been included by the former England fast bowler for their pace and wicket-taking ability. Johnson (313 wickets) is known for his aggression, while Starc (433* wickets in just 105 Tests) continues to trouble the batsmen with his swing and deadly yorkers.
Broad chose Mitchell Starc over Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins, saying, “I would choose Starc. More recently, seeing him still leading that attack and bowling 145 clicks, hitting the stumps, swinging it. Incredible, that’s the good side of it.”
Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn (439 wickets) has also got a place in the team of former England fast bowler. Well, the only specialist spinner he has faced in Broad’s playing XI is Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan. He is the highest wicket-taker in Test history with 800 wickets, making him an automatic choice in the team.
Stuart Broad names Pat Cummins as drinks boy in final Test XI
Adding a fun twist to the segment, Broad named Pat Cummins as the 12th man. He jokingly said that Cummins has achieved so much in cricket that giving him the responsibility of drinks is a joke.
The Englishman said, “Cummins can run the drinks because everything is going well in his life. I think he deserves to run the drinks for a Test match. Captain of Australia, World Cup winner, great in the IPL, face of Australian cricket, so he should run the drinks.”
However, many were surprised by the exclusion of Sachin Tendulkar and Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah has been one of India’s most influential Test bowlers due to his accuracy, reverse swing and match-winning spells, while Tendulkar remains the all-time leading run scorer in Test cricket with 16,000 runs.
Stuart Broad’s opponents’ final Test XI:
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 has had to make some tough decisions while choosing his final Test XI from the cricketers he has played against.
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– Wisden (@WisdenCricket) June 18, 2026
