Ashes: Best Australian XI of all-time

Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Australia will be touring England in June for the Ashes 2023, to be played from June 16 to July 31. In the 2023 edition, the Aussies will look to retain the Urn as Pat Cummins and Co. emerged victorious in the 2021-22 Ashes held in Australia. The Australian cricket team supporters will expect their side to trump England in England after 22 years as Kangaroos succeeded in levelling the 2019 edition of the tournament on foreign soil by a 2-2 margin.

In the last 30 years, Australia have played quality cricket in the distinguished Test tournament, which has resulted in their success against their arch-rivals. During their successful journey, some of their players performed exceptionally well to help their team amass remarkable moments.

Here is the all-time Australia XI from the Ashes

1. Matthew Hayden

Matthew Hayden. (Photo Source: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

Matthew Hayden played for Australia for 15 years, from 1994 to 2009. In Tests, he used to instil fear in the hearts of opponents along with his opening partner, Justin Langer. The left-handed batter hung up his boots after playing the third Test in Sydney during South Africa’s tour of Australia 2008-09.

The southpaw concluded his Test career with 8625 runs in 184 innings of 103 matches. In the Ashes, Hayden made his maiden appearance in 2001, but his best came in the 2002-03 edition of the tournament. Smashing 496 runs in eight innings, he ended up as the second-leading run-scorer in the competition.

In the first Test in Brisbane, he powered his team to clinch a 384-run victory with twin tons. His overall record is also amazing in the Ashes as the former Australia opener scored 1461 runs in 35 innings of 20 matches played from 2001-07.

2. David Warner

David warner. (Photo Source: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

David Warner broke into Test cricket in December 2011 in the first Test of New Zealand’s tour of Australia in Brisbane. After 12 years, he has made himself one of the illustrious names in international cricket with his impeccable batting style. In 2013, the dashing Aussie opener played his first Ashes series in England but couldn’t do much with his bat.

However, after a few months, England toured Australia for the 2013-14 edition, and this time, Warner came heavily on the visitors. Notching up 523 runs in 10 innings of five matches, he became the highest run-getter and powered his team to whitewash England after seven years.

In the next edition of the Ashes in 2015, Australia failed to retain the urn, but Warner again showcased his efficiency with 418 runs in nine innings. So far, Warner has taken part in five editions of the Ashes from 2013 to 2021 and has added 1888 runs to his profile in 51 innings of 28 matches.

3. Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting Test. (Photo Source : Getty Images)

Ricky Ponting served Australia excellently with his batting and captaincy in all forms of the sport. In Tests, he created many records with his bat from 1995-2012. Batting at the top of the order in most matches in his Test career, he delivered a lot of quality knocks from his bat.

In Ashes cricket, Ponting is the seventh-highest run-scorer for Australia with 2476 runs in 58 innings. After taking the Test captaincy mantle from Steve Waugh in 2004, Ponting went to England in 2005 for the first time as a skipper but couldn’t win the series for his side. However, in Australia’s unsuccessful campaign, Ponting put up a decent show with his bat, accumulating 359 runs in nine innings.

The 2005 Ashes defeat hurt many senior Australian players, and Ponting was one of them. In November 2006, England visited Australia for the 2006-07 Ashes, and this time, it was Australia’s turn to give it back. Leading from the front in his backyard, Ponting led his side to a spectacular 5-0 victory. In his team’s unprecedented success, the former right-handed batter smashed 576 runs in eight innings of five matches and became the leading run-scorer in the tournament.

4. Steven Smith

Steve Smith. (Photo Source: BCCI)

Steve Smith kicked off his international career in 2010 as a spinner, but after a few years, he emerged as one of the most incredible batters in Test cricket. Years of hard work and his extraordinary skills have catapulted him to the list of best batters of all time in the oldest format of the game.

With 8792 runs in 96 Test appearances, he is in the fourth position on the list of most runs chart for Aussies. In his 13-year* Test career, Smith has played 32 matches in the Ashes, in which he has scored 3044 runs in 56 innings with 11 centuries and 11 fifties.

These figures have made him the fourth most successful batter for Australia in Ashes cricket. In the last five editions of the Test tournament, Smith batted spectacularly. From 2015 to 2019, the stylish right-handed batter became the highest-run scorer in the tournament three consecutive times.

5. Steve Waugh

Steve Waugh

Steve Waugh was one of the greatest batters of his time. In the Test format, he became the second player to cross the 10000-run mark after Allan Border. From 1999 to 2004, Waugh captained Australia in Tests. During his captaincy stint, the Kangaroos achieved immense success.

In The Ashes installments held in 2001 and 2002-03, Waugh’s aggressive leadership brought amazing results for Australia as they triumphed against England comfortably. Along with his captaincy, the veteran rocked the tournament for Australia with his bat as well. Racking up 3173 runs in 72 innings, he is the fourth-leading run-scorer in the Ashes.

His best knock in the fabled tournament came in Leeds back in 1989. Riding on his unbeaten 177-run knock, Australia hammered England in the first Test by a convincing margin of 210 runs.

6. Mike Hussey

Michael Hussey Test. (Photo Source : Getty Images)

Mike Hussey, also known as Mr Cricket, was known for his superb batting style and tenacity. Watching him bat in the longest form of the game used to be bliss for the eyes of ardent Test cricket supporters. In the 2006-07 Ashes, Hussey exhibited class with his bat and chalked up 458 runs in seven innings.

In Australia’s breathtaking 5-0 victory, Hussey ended up as the third-leading run-getter in the competition. After four years, Australia lost by a 1-3 margin against the formidable English side in the former’s backyard, but Hussey stood tall with his bat again. Scoring 570 runs in nine innings, he ended up as the second-highest run-scorer, following England’s Alastair Cook, who became the Player of the Tournament.

Hussey’s Test career spanned from 2005 to 2013, and during this period, he appeared in three installments of the Ashes and scored 1304 runs in 24 innings of 15 contests, with four tons and nine fifties.

7. Adam Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist. (© Getty Images)

Adam Gilchrist was known for his fearless batting attitude. In Tests, he provided his services to the Australian cricket team for nine years as a lower-order batter. Like the white-ball format, he played fearlessly in the longest format of the sport to achieve success.

In the Ashes 2006-07, he notched up a 57-ball hundred in the third Test in Perth and became the fastest centurion in the oldest cricketing tournament. His best Test innings against England came in 2001. At the iconic Edgbaston Cricket Ground, he smashed 152 off 143 and powered his side to claim an innings and 118-run triumph.

Playing his first Ashes game, he looked confident and delivered a sublime knock to his team. For his stupendous performance, he also received the Player of the Match award. The intrepid Aussie batter played 20 matches against the English side in his vast Test career and scored 1083 runs in 28 innings.

8. Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins. (Photo Source: BCCI)

Current Australia One-Day International (ODI) and Test skipper Pat Cummins is known for his explosive fast bowling. In Tests, he is one of the best pacers due to his disciplined bowling. Following six years after his international debut, the speedster appeared in his first Ashes edition in 2017.

Playing his maiden Ashes competition, he showed up in five contests and ended up as the leading wicket-taker with 23 scalps in his team’s 4-0 success. In 2019, Australia retained the Urn, and this time again, he ruled the bowling charts, becoming the leading wicket-taker with 29 wickets in 10 innings.

After Tim Paine’s sexting scandal, Cricket Australia (CA) appointed Cummins their skipper ahead of the 2021-22 Ashes. Captaining the national side, Cummins led from the front and won the series 4-0. Claiming 21 wickets in eight innings, he again became the highest wicket-taker in the Ashes for three consecutive editions.

9. Mitchell Johnson

Mitchell Johnson was a mainstay bowler in the Aussie Test squad from 2007 to 2015. With his blazing pace and variations, he used to wreak havoc on batters. In the 2013-14 Ashes held in Australia, the Michael Clarke-led team snatched the urn from England by clinching the series by a 5-0 margin.

For Australia, Johnson became the best performer with the ball. Claiming 37 wickets in 10 innings, he bagged the Player of the Tournament award. In the 2010-11 season, Australia hosted England, and the latter emerged victorious by a 3-1 margin.

In his team’s defeat, Johnson again looked effective with the ball, taking 15 wickets in six innings of four matches. Talking about his overall Ashes career, the former speedster played in 19 games for his side, in which he hunted 87 batters in 34 innings.

10. Shane Warne

Shane Warne. (Photo Source: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

The late Shane Warne broke into international cricket in January 1992 and became a giant figure in the international circuit in one and a half years. In 1993, Australia toured England for the Ashes, and the 23-year-old Warne was also a part of the squad. Grabbing the opportunity with both hands, the leggie delivered standout performances to his team.

Grabbing 34 wickets in 12 innings, he helped Australia to clinch the series by 4-1. These outstanding bowling figures also made him the joint winner of the Player of the Tournament award with England’s Graham Gooch. In his maiden Ashes appearance in Manchester, he looked ferocious with the ball and took eight wickets to help his team pulverise the hosts by 179 runs.

After the debut Ashes competition in 1993, Warne showcased his magic in the 1994-95 Ashes again. In the opening Test at Gabba, he picked up his 8/71 bowling figures to vanquish the visitors by 184 runs.

11. Glenn McGrath

Glenn Mcgrath. (Photo Source: Twitter)

From the late ’90s to 2007, Glenn McGrath used to terrorise batters with his disciplined medium-pace bowling. In his 14-year Test career, he trapped 563 batters in 243 innings of 124 matches, with 10/27 figures against the West Indies. In Australia’s rivalry with England in the Ashes, he remained a vital cog in the Aussie squad from 1994-2007.

In Australia’s 3-2 triumph in the 1997 Ashes, Glenn McGrath displayed his calibre with the ball and became the leading wicket-taker in the competition, with 36 scalps in 12 innings of six games. These numbers also made him the Player of the Tournament alongside England’s Graham Thorpe.

The fabled Aussie retired from international cricket after the 2007 World Cup, and just a few months before the ODI tournament, he also bid adieu to the Test format following his appearance in the 2006-07 Ashes. After 16 years of his retirement, he is still the second-highest wicket-taker in the Ashes, with 157 scalps in 30 Tests.

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