This would be my world 11 (right handers).
1.Sachin Tendulkar
2.ponting
3.Rahul dravid
4.Mohommad Yusuf
5.Michael Hussey
6.Mahendra Singh Dhoni (c)(w)
7.Jacques Kallis
8.Andrew Flintoff
9.Anil kumble   (dwane bravo if the team is playing outside indian sub-continent)
10.Glenn Mcgrwath
11.Shoeb Akthar

i could have totally batted on number three but i think i can let it go for Dravid.

moto jantu,  flintoff, dhoni, yousuf, kumble ahead of other great names like viv richards, Mr. Bradman, Warne, murali? Can you share with me what you are smoking?

1.  Matthew Hayden
2 Kumara Sangakara
3. Greame Pollock  (best left hander of all time along with Sobers and Lara)
4. Brian Lara 
5. Allan Border or Clive lloyd (as a captain)
6. Gary Sobers (all rounder)
7. Adam Gilchrist
8. Wasim Akram (bowling allrounder)
9.  Daniel Vettori  (bowling allrounder)
10. Alan Davidson (bowling all rounder and fearsome australian fast bowler)
11. Johnny Wardle

Selection of right handed batsman would be much more difficult.  Except for Don Bradman , all other batsman are replaceble.  One must consider that this is an era of batsman where batting is much easier and averages are high because many conditions favor batsman. Here is mine,

1. Sir Jack Hobbs   -  FIRST SUPERSTAR OF CRICKET. probably the most incredible batsman ever along with sir don bradman.  In an era where scoring was difficult and first class cricket very competitive. He scored unbelivable 199 first class centuries.  If you think sachin tendulkars 23000 first class runs is amazing,   He has scored 61,000 runs.  His test record equally good with five and half thousands of runs in an incredible average of 57.   Remember that was an era with no helmet, unprepared wicket, no restrictioins for bouncers, field restrictions, long boundries.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/14022.html


2. George Headley / Barry Richards -   George headley was nicknamed  Black Bradman. That too was for a reason. He lost some of the memorable years to world war.   Barry richards might have just played 4 test but he is widely regarded as one of the best all time. Who can forget South Africa beating Australia 4-0 in test series. with Richards and Pollock SA team was considered best of all times. Better than westindies and Australia .

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/52050.html


3. Don Bradman


4.  Viv Richards/ Sachin Tendulkar / Jacques Kallis ........................plenty more .It would be tempting go for kallis  though because not only his batting is amazing , his record as a bowler is great too.  Statistics wise his all round record is better than sir garry sobers. Sobers is considered Greatest cricketer of all time.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/45789.html





5.  Wally Hammond - Over Seven Thousand runs in just eighty odd test, average of over 58 in an era of uncovered pitches, no helmets. One of the great of all time.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/14022.html


6. Herbert Sutcliff -----  over 50000 first class runs, over 60 average in test matches . Again in an era where scoring was difficult and par score where much less.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/player/20413.html

7. Imran Khan (Captain and All rounder)


8. Alan Knott (Wicket Keeper)

9. Shane Warne /Muralitharan


10. Malcolm Marshall


11. Curtley Ambrose (right handed bowler), Mc Grath, Dennis lille, Thomson, Andy roberts, Joel Garner etc. etc etc.

 @fat beast: Since when did Gilchrist change from being left handed batsman to right handed batsman?

My right handed test team (not based on STATS, based on what I have seen in cricket myself):

1) Sachin Tendulkar
2) Virender Sehwag
3) Rahul Dravid
4) Jaques Kallis
5) Ricky Ponting
6) Steve Waugh
7) MS Dhoni
8) Shane Warne
9) Muratharan
10) Glenn McGrath
11) Sohaib Akhthar
12) Brett Lee

My left handed test team:
1) Matthew hayden
2) Chris Gayle
3) Kumar Sangakkara
4) Brian Lara
5) Michael Hussey
6) Shivanarine Chanderpaul
7) Adam Gilchrist
8) Wasim Akram
9) Daniel Vettori
10) Chaminda Vaas
11) Shakib Al Hasan
12) Andy Flower
10) 

collegefootball : my bad on that, i got little distracted while thinking of giving my team the best opening pair.
usgraduate: good response but those are the players whom i saw playing while i was growing up. cricket has changed brah, its not just the speed and the sharp turn a bowler can deliver that matters anymore ( and how far a batsman can hit the ball)thats why players like mcgrwath and kumble ruled the internationl arena for so many years.

 Right Handers:
1. Sachin Tendulkar
2. Virendra Shewag
3. Jacques Kallis
4. Jonty Rhodes
5. Ricky Pointing (c)
6. Andrew Flintoff
7. Mark Boucher (W)
8. Chris Cairns
9. Sahid Afridi
10.Shaun Pollock
11. Waqar Younis

Left Handers:
1. Sanath Jaysurya
2. Salman Butt
3. Brian Lara
4. Sourav Ganguly
5. Mike Hussy
6. Arajuna Ranatunga (c)
7 Adam Ghilchrist (w)
8.Lance Klusner
9. Wsim Akram
10. Chaminda Vass
11.Ryan sidebottom

 Sedhant Bro: This was for the test team and not ODI. So, you gonna put Chris cairns ans shahid Afridi in your test team?? Just surious.

 interesting picks, like Barry richards, george headly, et. al. for right handers. and which team you guys think would win? I think ICC should organise such event....current left XI vs right XI. It would be a mouth watering prospect to watch!

 I miss World vs Asia XI. 

Remember the game in Dhaka? 

Also, Ponting as number 3 should be a no brainer. 

 i tried doing with left hand once - felt like someone else was doing.