Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson and legendary Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden recently revealed the XI of the 21st century dream, featuring iconic batsmen, crafty spinners and deadly pace bowlers from around the world.
Kane Williamson chose Matthew Hayden. Matthew Hayden scored a spectacular 8,625 test runs averaged 50.73, including a record score of 380 at the time and a Virender Sehwag as opener. The explosive former Indian opener Sehwag has 8536 runs in 104 tests in his name.
Kane Williamson and Matthew Hayden announce the best test XI ever
The New Zealander chose Ricky Ponting in an important number three position and named the Australian his captain. Ponting represented Australia in 168 tests and with the help of the 41st century he collected 13,378 runs. With 15,921 runs in 200 Tests, Sachin Tendulkar is the best Test Rans Coller of all time, with Indian legend taking on Kane’s fourth place position.
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Tendulkar is followed by legends from modern eras such as Steve Smith, Ab de Villiers and Ms Dhoni. Williamson’s bowling attack featured protea spaker Dale Stein (439 wickets), Pakistan’s fiery speedster Shoaib Akhtar (178 wickets), and Australia’s fast bowler Glenmakgrass (563 wickets).
He also added the Muttiah Muralitharan (800 wickets) spin wizardry to his lineup. Meanwhile, Hayden decides to go with a merciless attack and sw walking. The British legendary Alastair Cock, alongside Australia’s horrifying David Warner, is the best Test XI opener of 21st century Hayden’s dreams ever.
The best Test XI ever by Kane Williamson and Matthew Hayden. (espncricinfo). pic.twitter.com/fwwypcmarv
-Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 14, 2025
Alastair Cook, Pat Cummins and Virat Kohli cut with Matthew Hayden’s Dream Xi
Alastair Cook has won 12,472 runs in the UK 162 Tests with 33rd century help on his name, while David Warner was one of his ERA’s most dangerous openers with 8,786 runs in the 112 Tests in his name. The legendary South African all-rounder Jack Carris, who scored 13,289 runs in 166 Tests, and the West Indies great Brian Lara, who scored 11,953 runs in 131 Tests, were named No. 4 and Five Batteries.
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Lara was named captain by a former Australian batsman. The elegance of Virat Kohli’s class and VVS Laxman (8781 Runs) encouraged the Australian to draft his line by Adam Gilchrist (5570 Runs) fused the powers and keeping them behind the stump.
Hayden’s bowling attack features the late legendary spinner Shane Warne (708 wickets), Pat Cummins (301 wickets), Brett Lee (310 wickets) and England’s swingmaster James Anderson (704 wickets). Kohli recently retired from this format with a run of 9230, but he was shockedly ignored by one of his good friends, Williamson.
Kane Williamson and Matthew Hayden’s best test XI of 21st century history:
Kane Williamson: Matthew Hayden, Billender Sewag, Ricky Ponting (C), Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Smith, Abu de Villiers, MS Dhoni (WK), Dale Stein, Shoeve Akhtard, Glenn McGrath and Muttia Murratalan.
Matthew Hayden: Alastair Cook, David Warner, Jacques Kallis, Brian Lara (C), Virat Kohli, VVS Laxman, Adam Gilchrist (WK), Shane Warne, Pat Cummins, Brett Lee, James Anderson
