Picking the best left-handed Test playing 11 of the 21st century ft. Brian Lara, Mitchell Starc
There is something about left-handed cricketers that is so fascinating. No playing XI in world cricket is complete without at least a few southpaws in it. With the willow in hand, most left-handers display a different kind of grace and elegance.
Apart from their aesthetic value, left-handers are also integral to balancing the team combination. A left-hand right-hand combination can often trouble bowlers because they have to constantly change their line and length. On the other hand, a left-handed bowler also poses a different kind of challenge to the batters and keeps them on their toes.
Over the years, the world of cricket has witnessed the talent of some amazing left-handers, from David Gower in batting to Wasim Akram in bowling and many more. On that note, we try and put together the best left-handed Test playing 11 of the 21st century.
Top-order: Alastair Cook, Matthew Hayden, Kumar Sangakkara
Former England captain Alastair Cook and Australian batter Matthew Hayden would be the opening batters in the best left-handed Test playing 11 of the 21st century. Cook made his debut in 2006 and played 154 matches in which he amassed 11,845 runs at an average of 44.86 with 31 tons and 55 fifties.
Hayden made his Test debut in 1994, but it was not until 2001 that he had established himself in the team. From 2001 to 2009, the southpaw featured in 91 Tests, scoring 8,097 runs at an average of 53.98 with 29 centuries and 27 fifties.
The classy Kumar Sangakkara would come in at No. 3 in the best left-handed Test playing 11 of the 21st century. Between 2001 and 2015, the former Sri Lankan captain featured in 130 Tests and scored 12,226 runs at an average of 58.49 with 38 centuries and 51 half-centuries. There were few better sights in world cricket than watching Sangakkara flow when the legend was in his elements.
Middle-order: Brian Lara (c), Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Ravindra Jadeja
The legendary West Indies duo of Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul occupy two of the middle-order slots in the best left-handed Test playing 11 of the 21st century. While Lara was flamboyance personified, Chanderpaul was the epitome of resilience with the bat in hand.
From 2001 to 2006, Lara played 57 Tests and scored 5,883 runs at an average of 58.24 with 19 hundreds and 18 fifties. During this phase, he also became the first batter to notch up 400 runs in a single innings in Test cricket. Chanderpaul featured in 119 Tests from 2001 to 2015 and amassed 9,185 runs at an average of 55.66. His stats include 28 hundreds and 45 half-centuries.
Aussie legend Adam Gilchrist was the easy pick as keeper-batter in the best left-handed Test playing 11 of the 21st century. The destructive southpaw played 83 Tests between 2001 and 2008 scoring 4,787 runs at an average of 46.93 with the aid of 16 tons and 20 fifties. Behind the stumps, he took 325 catches and effected 33 stumpings during the same period.
There was a close tussle between Shakib Al Hasan and Ravindra Jadeja for one of the all-rounder slots. The seasoned Indian cricketer, though, edged out the Bangladesh talisman. Having made his debut in 2012, Jadeja is currently featuring in his 78th Test. He has scored 3,312 runs, averaging 35.61 with four tons. With his left-arm spin, he has 319 wickets at an average of 24.05, with 15 five-fers.
Bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Trent Boult, Rangana Herath, Zaheer Khan
Australia's Mitchell Starc, New Zealand's Trent Boult and India's Zaheer Khan would be the pace trio in the best left-handed Test playing 11 of the 21st century. Starc is currently featuring in his 92nd Test and has claimed 372 scalps at an average of 27.54 with 15 five-fers to his credit. He is also a handy lower-order batter.
Boult has featured in 78 Tests and has 317 wickets to his name at an average of 27.49 with 10 five-fers. As for Zaheer, he represented India in 90 Tests from 2001 to 2014, claiming 306 wickets at an average of 32.84, with 11 five-fers.
Former Sri Lankan left-arm spinner Rangana Herath is undoubtedly one of the most underrated cricketers in Test history. He deserves a place in the best left-handed Test playing 11 of the 21st century. Herath featured in 90 Tests between 2004 and 2018 and claimed 427 wickets at an average of 27.74 with 34 five-fers.
(Note: All stats are from the period starting January 1, 2001.)