Many cricketers have enthralled audiences with their style and class in the last few years while dominating all three formats of the game with ease. However, a few were unfortunate to miss out on the all-format World XI to slightly more consistent players. Here, we put together an unlucky XI that could easily walk into the all-format side, in case of unavailability or injuries.

Wisden’s ‘Unlucky to miss out on Wisden’s current all-format world XI’ XI

Quinton de Kock (wk)

The left-hander missed out to David Warner, but is undoubtedly a must-have in most teams in all formats. He averages 37.13 in Tests, 44.74 in ODIs and 31.02 in T20Is and is known to be basher at the top of the order in limited-overs cricket. He struck at an astonishing 170.65 in T20Is in 2020, and will be the wicketkeeper of this side as well.

Devon Conway

Conway is here, there, everywhere! Having made his international debut in November, the Kiwi is already being touted as a future star to watch out for. He has one hundred and a fifty in three ODIs, four fifties in 11 T20I innings and an enviable double hundred at Lord’s on his Test match debut. However, we would want to see him perform consistently over a longer duration for him to walk into our current all-format world XI. For now, he will still squeeze into this unlucky XI given his potential.

Babar Azam (c)

Unlucky to miss out from the original XI due to the presence of Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson, Babar is undoubtedly the easiest pick in this XI. He has some of the best shots in the book, and his consistency across formats is next to none. With an average of over 42 in all three formats, including an average 56.83 in ODIs, the Pakistani is a modern day great, and will also captain this side.

Joe Root

Though Root does not feature regularly in the T20I team for England of late, his numbers warrant a place in this list. The player has a better average in ODIs (50.10 after 149 games) than he has in Test cricket (49.24 after 103 Tests), which is evidence of his skills in limited-overs cricket. Root just about pips Steve Smith courtesy of his bowling to make this team.

Mohammad Rizwan

Rizwan is yet another player who has had a memorable run in the last few months. Since the start of 2020, the Pakistani averages 49.44 across all formats, with two tons and 11 fifties in 35 innings across all T20Is, Tests and ODI cricket. His batting in the shortest format, in particular, has been phenomenal — in 15 innings, Rizwan has scored 663 runs at an average of a whopping 82.87 with one century and six fifties at a strike rate of 138.70. His ODI numbers, though, are well below expectations in the above interim — an average of 11.16 in six matches – which sees him miss out from the all-format world XI.

Rishabh Pant

One of the most talented players, Pant did not have the most encouraging start to his international career as he was constantly plagued by inconsistency and fitness issues. However, the wicketkeeper has scripted a remarkable turnaround in the last few months, with his audacity to take on the best bowlers leaving all amazed. Since the MCG Test in Australia, Pant has averaged 60.44 in seven Tests, 77.50 in two ODIs, and is a terrific T20 batter. He has also accounted for a total of 25 dismissals as a keeper in this interim. However, the youngster will have to carry forward his form in the next few months if he wants to make the all-time current world XI team ahead of Buttler.

Shakib Al Hasan

The all-rounder returned to professional cricket earlier in 2021 after a year’s ban by the ICC for failing to report corrupt approaches. Shakib, however, seemed to start right from where he had left, with two forty-plus knocks in his maiden ODI series against West Indies along with six wickets in three games. The only player to score 600+ runs and take 10+ wickets in a World Cup, Shakib has time and again proven his efficiency against the best rivals in the sport.

Jason Holder

Holder missed out on making the current all-format world XI to Ravindra Jadeja by the barest of margins. The latter’s batting transformation has played a huge role in India’s success of late, which meant he edged ahead of the West Indian. However, Holder has a strong case – he has scored 2,253 runs in Tests with three hundreds and has 123 wickets and has scored 1,837 ODI runs with 139 scalps.

Mitchell Starc

The Australian has a bowling strike rate of 35.5 across formats since the start of 2019 – the best among all bowlers who have picked up more than 100 wickets. He enhances the batting strength and is one of the most formidable bowlers in the death overs in white-ball cricket. Trent Boult’s presence meant there was no room for Starc in the the all-format world XI team, but there is no denying that he will be the first-pick in case of replacements.

Pat Cummins

The Australian has been phenomenal in Test cricket, with his ability to bowl long spells session-after-session in Test cricket, speaking volumes of his consistency and fitness. Since the start of 2019, the Aussie has picked up the most wickets across all formats – 144 in 56 games – with three five-wicket hauls and a 10-for. Cummins is also more than handy with the bat, and will spearhead the bowling attack of this team.

Shaheen Afridi

The young Pakistani has been setting the stage on fire ever since his debut. Since the beginning of 2019, Shaheen has picked up 104 wickets across formats – the fourth-highest in the world. He has picked up four five-wicket hauls too, and can be quite a handful against quality batsmen with his pace and movement upfront.

Wisden’s ‘Unlucky to miss out on Wisden’s current all-format world XI’ XI

Quinton de Kock, Devon Conway, Babar Azam, Joe Root, Mohammad Rizwan, Rishabh Pant, Shakib Al Hasan, Jason Holder, Shaheen Afridi, Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins