World Test Over-30 XI: The veterans

Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him.-AldousHuxleyThere is a reason why veterans are always in demand. It is because they are veterans, they have seen grasses of several grounds change colour while their own hair turned grey.I thought it will be funto make a team of players who areagedover30 but are still active i.e.not retired.This list is surely controversial as there are legends in this list anda few big names will miss out.Hence, I am also creatinga benchfor every position. The likes of Sehwag and Vettori miss out from the playing XI due to their longabsence while Michael Clarke loses the battle to AB de Villiers closely.NOTE: Records and age as on 2ndJuly 2014.

#1 Chris Rogers

If Virender Sehwag had not been absent for so long, he would have been my choice for this position. If Chris Gayle was in at least some form, he would have been the second choice. Alas! None of that is the case.

Chris Rogers of Australia remains the only viable choice. His recent first class form has been exceptional, much like his entire first-class career, decorated with 69 hundreds and 102 fifties. He has scored a total of 22364 runs at a batting average of over 50 in 269 games.

Only if he had got a chance earlier, his Test records would have been far more impressive, but he has contributed impressively for Australia in Ashes and remains a great bet at the top of the order.

Age: 36 years 306 days

Records:

Matches: 14, Innings: 27

Runs: 1030, Average: 38.14

Highest Score: 119, Hundreds: 4, Fifties: 5

 

Reserve: Virender Sehwag, Chris Gayle