Sportskeeda's All-Time Test XI: From the realms of immortality

#9 – Malcolm Marshall (West Indies)

Marshall subjected batsmen to a thorough examination of temperament

While the other speedsters in his famed outfit towered above him with their gigantic frames, Malcolm Marshall was the most menacing of them all. Standing at around 5 feet and 11 inches, he traumatized batsmen all over with his slippery pace and unerring accuracy. One of his greatest attributes lay in cutting the ball at an angle which left them with no other choice but to play.

Despite an indifferent start to his career which yielded just 34 wickets from 12 matches at an average of 31.88, Marshall bounced back strongly with 342 wickets from his next 69 matches at an impressive average of 19.85 and an imposing strike-rate of 44.9. Be it on a dust bowl at Kanpur wherein he razed India’s top-order within a jiffy or while bowling with a plastered hand at Headingley, he was in total command.

Did You Know – Marshall was picked for the 1978/79 Indian tour mainly because the senior West Indies stars were unavailable due to Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket and only came to know of his selection on the radio while working in a brewery.

Statistics: 376 wickets from 81 matches at an average of 20.94 with 22 five-wicket hauls and 4 ten-wicket hauls.