With England in contention to become the world’s top-ranked Test team again, what better time to take a closer look at the best cricketers on the planet and choose a World XI?
People will always disagree with you but I believe my side would be a match for anyone, regardless of conditions.
Scroll through the gallery at the top of the article for my best team in world cricket.
I’d like to be a spin doctor
The challenge of facing top-class spin bowling was something I enjoyed immensely during my career — and I would love to pass on what I learned to current players.
I’ve seen spin play a much bigger part in the county game this summer than in previous years, which is good news for English batsmen. The more spin they face, the better-equipped they will be if they play international cricket and tour Asia.
I’d like to help. Playing spin was one of my strengths and I’m very keen to work with batsmen, no matter what stage they find themselves at in their careers. I could definitely work well with county players and cricketers at other levels.
I have had a few conversations with people in the game about my plans and I’m hoping to have completed the Level 3 coaching qualification by the end of the winter. I’m hopeful it will lead to something.
Finals Day fear in T20 change
Twenty20 Finals Day is the first thing you look for in the calendar when the domestic fixtures come out.
For county players who have not yet been in the England environment, this is the closest thing to international cricket that they will experience.
The atmosphere is always fantastic and Edgbaston is one of the best grounds in the country.
By the time you get there, you’ll have played 15 matches so you have to do the hard yards.
I suppose that if we are going to have a city-based Twenty20 competition in the future, with six to eight teams, Finals Day might no longer happen.
It would be hard to justify if you have so few teams in the tournament in the first place.
That would be a shame because there is no better day in the summer for the players and fans of the teams involved.
