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Shane Warne Picks His Top 5 Current Test Batters

Legendary Australia spinner Shane Warne has named his top five current batters in Test cricket. One of the finest leg-spinners to have ever graced the game, Shane Warne named his top-five batters in Test cricket at the moment. With T20 cricket gaining popularity in recent years, many fans and experts reckons the quality of Test cricket has gone down. This major belief is batters nowadays don’t emphasise much on having a sound technique. Also, tackling the red cherry is any condition is not easy.

However, there are still some batters, who have embraced this challenge with brilliance. Widely regarded as one of the finest spinners in world cricket, Australia spinner Shane Warne on Saturday named his top-5 batters in Test cricket. Australian cricket legend Shane Warne named his list of top 5 Test batsmen at the moment in world cricket. Warne's list includes just one Indian with Rohit Sharma not making the cut.

5. Marnus Labuschagne

The former Australian spinner’s top-five was rounded-up by Marnus Labuschangne. The South African born lad has been nothing short of a revelation for Australian team. Labuschangne can play attacking shots alongside staying at the crease for long. His tally of nearly 2000 runs in 19 Tests also speaks volumes of his capabilities. The youngster is currently fourth in list of top-ranked Test batters.

Australia's Marnus Labuschagne completed Warne's top-5. “Virat Kohli has just dropped off a little bit, and then Marnus (Labuschagne) rounds up the top-5 for me,” said the Australian.

4. Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli will return to action in the longest format of the game on December 26 when the side takes on South Africa in the first of three Tests in Centurion. Earlier this week, the BCCI announced that Kohli would be succeeded by Rohit Sharma as full-time captain in white-ball format. The 33-year-old, however, will retain his leadership role in Tests.

While he slammed three consecutive hundreds in the home series against India earlier this year, Root slammed double tons on Sri Lankan and Indian soil. These numbers speak volumes of his abilities. Meanwhile, Root was followed by New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson in Warne’s elite list. Arguably the finest captain going around in international cricket, Williamson’s obsession with big knocks has helped the Kiwis register many emphatic wins.

He also led New Zealand to the inaugural World Test Championship title earlier this year. India’s Virat Kohli is fourth on this list. Warne also admitted that the talismanic batter has ‘dropped down’ in recent times but he’s still good enough to make a cut in the top-five.

3. Kane Williamson

Kane Williamson is always in thereabouts," said Warne in a video uploaded on Instagram by Fox Cricket.

He additionally drove New Zealand to the debut World Test Championship title recently. India's Virat Kohli is fourth on this rundown. Warne additionally conceded that the magic player has 'dropped down' as of late however he's still sufficient to make a cut in the best five. The previous Australian spinner's main five was gathered together by Marnus Labuschangne.

2. Joe Root

Earlier England have been fined their entire match fees and docked five World Test Championship points for maintaining a slow rate of overs during their nine-wicket defeat by Australia in the first Ashes test, cricket’s world governing body said on Saturday. Joe Root’s side were ruled to be five overs short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration, with match referee David Boon imposing the sanction.

In the first Ashes Test, Root continued his fine form with a knock of 89 in the second innings to give England a fighting chance in the game. However, he was dismissed for a duck in the first innings.

1. Steve Smith

“I have got Steve Smith (at the top). I think, over all conditions, against all bowlers, he has been brilliant,” Warne said in a video posted by Fox Cricket. England’s Joe Root is second on this list. The right-handed batter has been sensational this year, having scored as many as six Test centuries so far.

Warne’s top pick is justified as Smith is the fastest to reach 7,000 Test runs. Nonetheless, he has been a pure run machine for Australia. His second pick was Joe Root. Root as England captain has excelled in 2021. He has centuries in Sri Lanka and India. Not to forget his centuries against Kohli’s men during the home summer where he scored three consecutive centuries. Kane Williamson is third on the list as the year saw him leading New Zealand to WTC triumph. Besides, his ability to play long knocks under pressure also helped him made the cut.