This month’s side includes few proven match-winners, but it may struggle against the seven previously published teams. Unlike the December Team of the Month which featured six English players, there isn’t a single Englishman in this side.
1. Arthur Morris (Australia, born 19 January 1922)
Morris was a left-handed opening batsman who captained Australia twice. He made his first-class debut in 1940/41 at age 18 and delayed his Test debut for six years due to WWII. In 1948, he scored a successful 404-run chase and Cricinfo rated his innings as one of the best 100 ever played.
2. Bruce Mitchell (South Africa, born 8 January 1909)
Mitchell was a reliable opening batsman whose average innings duration of 158 deliveries has been exceeded by only Don Bradman and Herbert Sutcliffe. Cricinfo recently rated his score of 164 not out at Lord’s in 1935 among the best 100 ever played.
3. Rahul Dravid (India, born 11 January 1973)
Dravid was an outstanding batsman with orthodox technique and great powers of concentration. Cricinfo named him in its all-time India XI in 2010 and rated his 12-hour innings of 270 in Rawalpindi in 2004 among the best 100 ever played.
4. Clyde Walcott (West Indies, born 17 January 1926)
Walcott was a powerful-striking wicketkeeper-batsman and one of the famous Three Ws. His home record was particularly good, with 25 games yielding 11 centuries and an overall average of 69.83.
5. Kim Hughes (Australia, born 26 January 1954)
Hughes was an extravagant stroke-maker who captained Australia in difficult circumstances post-World Series Cricket. Cricinfo recently rated his innings of 100 not out against the West Indies at the MCG in 1981/82 among the best 100 ever played.
6. Monty Noble (Australia, born 28 January 1873, captain)
Noble was a fine captain, batsman, medium-pace & off-spin bowler, & fielder, & Cricinfo ranked his ICC all-rounder in 1904 as the twentieth highest of all time.
7. John Waite (South Africa, born 19 January 1930)
Waite was a fine wicketkeeper and very useful batsman and the only pre-isolation South African to play fifty Test matches.
8. Kapil Dev (India, born 6 January 1959 vice-captain)
Kapil Dev was an outstanding swing bowler and hard-hitting batsman and is his nation’s greatest all-rounder.
9. Andy Roberts (West Indies, born 29 January 1951)
Roberts is one of his nation’s greatest-ever pacemen and played, and his bouncer was a particularly lethal delivery.
10. Arthur Mailey (Australia, born 3 January 1886)
Mailey was a leg-spinner who spun the ball prodigiously, but could be expensive. He had made his first-class debut in 1912/13 but WWI then delayed his Test debut until he was 34.