Former Proteas fast bowler Morne Morkel has revealed his all-time XI, with a whopping six South Africans picked in his team.
Morkel named his all-time XI on the Lord’s Cricket Ground YouTube channel with the criteria being that he had to have played with or against them, or have been strongly influenced by the players chosen.
The 34-year-old picked a modern starting line-up of cricketers he has played with and against in his 12-years of international cricket.
Graeme Smith opened Morkel’s dream XI and was named the captain of his side, which the lanky pacer added by saying, “he is the best captain that I personally have played under”.
Smith played 117 Tests, 197 ODIs and 33 T20I for South Africa before retiring in March 2014.
Hashim Amla and former Proteas all-rounder Jacques Kallis will bat at No. 3 and 4.
Morkel lauded Kallis: “He’s going to be the guy that’s going to break the bowling attack mentally, bat his time and also he has the danger with the ball (in hand).
Kallis, who retired from international cricket in 2014, played 166 Tests for South Africa scoring 13,289 runs and claiming 292 wickets.
Former Proteas star batsman AB de Villiers has been placed in the middle-order and will also keep wickets for Morkel’s side.
De Villiers, who announced his retirement from international cricket last year, played 114 Tests for South Africa and scored 8,765 runs with an average of over 50.
Morkel rounded off his list with the Proteas lethal fast bowling duo of Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn.
Morne Morkel’s all-time XI:
Graeme Smith (captain – South Africa), David Warner (Australia), Hashim Amla (South Africa), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), Virat Kohli (India), Kevin Pietersen (England), AB de Villiers (wicketkeeper – South Africa), Daniel Vettori (New Zealand), Pat Cummins (Australia), Kagiso Rabada (South Africa), Dale Steyn (South Africa).
