A Wisden panel picked outa current World Test XI earlier this week, with the selections being based on form and recent records.

Wisden.com managing editor Ben Gardner, Wisden India editor Aadya Sharma, and Wisden.com features editor Taha Hashim made a Test XI, and the all-rounder’s spot came under considerable debate. The choice was between Ben Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja, from which only one was chosen.

Here is the discussion, after which the all-rounder was picked:

BG: Taha and I have both gone for Ben Stokes, but can he get into the current world XI when he hasn’t played recently? I know Australia’s last Test was less recent than Ben Stokes’ but still, we don’t have that recent thing to remind us of how good he is.

TH: If we were doing this 12 months ago, there would have been no questions.

BG: But, Aadya you’ve gone for a different all-rounder. Do you want to make your case for Ravindra Jadeja?

AS: His numbers do make the case for him. Just the evolution of Jadeja the cricketer in the last two to three years, especially as a lower-order batter who can bring the team up when the chips are down. His bowling might have dipped a bit in recent times, but overall if you see in the last few years… And, I had Stokes in my initial team given the player he is. But just given that he hasn’t played recently, I picked Jadeja.

TH: So, with Stokes, you would have him at six, right? So this is the thing where Jadeja then looks an appetizing proposition if you’ve got your wicketkeeper at six, then you’ve got Jadeja. So, I, thinking about it now, do like the idea of Jadeja at seven because that gives you two spinners really.

BG: And also not many teams are making it past the top five, are they?

TH: Yeah. If we’re talking about playing anywhere and you’ve got the prospect of two spinners, both turning it different ways, then that is quite persuasive.

You can take a look at the current World Test XI here