You know the sort of players we’re talking about – the ones you can’t help but admire, but any complimentary reflection on them is always followed by a but. It’s not just the mavericks, we’re looking at the whole gamut of opinion-splitting cricketers – from those that are too controversial, those that exceptionally good only in certain conditions, and those that are just plain wacky.

All that in mind, here’s the XI we ended up with. What do you make of it?

Chris Gayle

The self-titled Universe Boss has been a force unlike any other when it comes to batting. He redefined the realms of possibility for openers, across formats, and is T20 cricket’s first global superstar. In an ideal world, we’d consider his achievements on cricket and little else, but this isn’t an ideal world. His exuberant character is charming at times, but more often it’s indigestible, never more so than when he infamously asked out Mel McLaughlin, the Australian TV reporter, live on air during the BBL. His reaction to that whole incident didn’t help either.

Herschelle Gibbs

Gibbs was as talented and fearless as they come. He was the first batsman to hit six sixes an over in international cricket, and on his day, the opposition stood little chance. However, he isn’t one of the first names to come to mind when South Africans go through their greats. Gibbs’ involvement with the match-fixing saga of 2000 – he was banned for six months after accepting money from Hansie Cronje to score fewer runs – played a part in that, but so did his tell-all autobiography, in which he revealed stories of marijuana sessions and sexual orgies in South African cricket. He also criticised captain Graeme Smith, saying he had “hopelessly too much power” and never played for South Africa again.

Jesse Ryder

Could New Zealand have won one of the last two World Cups had Ryder been part of the side? The all-rounder is so talented, it’s tempting to think so. He could bat like a dream, his dibbly-dobbly medium pace was tougher than it looked, and he could pull of some stunning feats in the field, despite what his frame suggested. However, all the off-field troubles – the alcohol problem, the inadvertent consumption of banned substances, the inability to cope with the pressures of international cricket – makes him one of the big losses to cricket. He doesn’t fit in with the modern New Zealand’s nice-guys image, but perhaps someone like him, with that bit of unpredictability, might have been just what they needed to win a big tournament.

Kevin Pietersen (c)

Of all the players in this XI, Anderson has perhaps the soundest footing – there aren’t many off-field controversies, a corridor spat with Ravindra Jadeja aside. And he has just picked up his 600th Test wicket to become the only pacer to do so. He continues to be England’s greatest threat at home, in defiance of age.

However, for all these achievements, the wider cricket world still doubts him. It’s like a curse or an itch that just doesn’t go away – 600 Test wickets, but the questions remain: ‘How many of those 600 came at home? Can he do it outside England? He’s great, but he’s no Steyn, is he?’ It’s a debate that’s divided the cricket world for the best part of two decades. And one that won’t go away no matter what he does.

Shoaib Akhtar

As aggressive as they come, as volatile as they come, and most of all, as fast as they come. When Shoaib Akhtar sent them down, you could almost see trail of fire behind the ball. He took pride in his speed – for all his wickets, it’s the fact that he’s first bowler to break the 160kph speed barrier that makes him beam – and his battles with the greats of the Noughties are something to cherish.

However, there were chucking allegations – he was cleared because it was considered the result of his unique physical characteristics – and more seriously, ball-tampering charges, for which he was banned. In 2006, there was another ban after he tested positive for a prohibited substance. There were dressing room spats with teammates – he hit Mohammad Asif with a bat – and when frustrated by a batsman, there were beamers. All in all, he was one of the most controversial figures to play the game. A shoo-in into this list, though.