The commentators from the first Test between India and Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens are picking their dream XI based on the recent performances of the cricketers. Former Sri Lankan cricketer turned commentator picked a relatively young team as compared to his colleagues Matthew Hayden and VVS Laxman. Arnold picked the New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson as the captain of the team.
Australia’s David Warner and ever dependent Hashim Amla were selected to open the innings for his side. Arnold surprised everyone by picking Cheteshwar Pujara over England captain Joe Root for the no three position. Surprise omission was Indian skipper and run machine Virat Kohli from the middle order which was picked by everybody in their team. He went to Australia’s Steve Smith and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson in the middle order. He justified his picking by saying that foreign players are successful in sub-continent conditions.
Arnold picked England’s Ben Stokes as the lone all-rounder of the team who was left out of the Ashes squad after his involvement in the Bristol brawl. South Africa’s Quinton De Kock will look after the wicket-keeping job in the Sri Lankan cricketer’s dream team.
The middle-order batsmen picked his countrymen Rangana Herath and India’s Ravichandran Ashwin as the two spinners in his team. Both of them are instrumental for their respective teams in the red ball game. England’s James Anderson and Kiwi star Trent Boult as the pace bowling option in his dream team.
Russel Arnold’s dream Test XI:
David Warner, Hashim Amla, Cheteshwar Pujara, Kane Williamson (C), Steve Smith, Quinton de Kock (wk), Ben Stokes, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rangana Herath, Trent Boult, James Anderson.