Aakash Chopra picks ODI XI of the decade; names MS Dhoni captain

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has picked up his ODI XI of the decade with 2020 ending in a couple of weeks. The 50-over format has come a long way since 2011 and a lot has changed thanks to the revolution of the T20 format over the last ten years. Chopra has considered performances since 2011 to pick the players in the team and has gone with four Indian players in his line-up.

Undoubtedly, Rohit Sharma is his opener. Rohit has some mind-boggling numbers since he started to open the innings in the limited-overs format in 2013. He hit three double centuries during this period as well and 264 is his highest individual score. Aakash Chopra then picked Hashim Amla over David Warner sheerly because of the class of the former with the bat.

Explaining the pick, he also said that Amla is his favourite. “I was thinking if the other opener could be David Warner. He has also scored a lot of runs but I am going with Hashim Amla. He is a huge favourite of mine, he is a little under-rated but his numbers for the decade have been phenomenal,” Chopra said in a video shared on his official Facebook page.

Mohammad Hafeez at number seven

It is no surprise that Virat Kohli has made it to the number three position of Aakash Chopra’s ODI XI of the decade with AB de Villiers and MS Dhoni to follow. He also named Dhoni as the captain and wicket-keeper of the side. The trio has ruled the ODI format, especially, over the last 10 years and there shouldn’t be any debates about these picks.

The two all-rounders in the XI are both spinners. Shakib Al Hasan pipped Ben Stokes for the number six position while Mohammad Hafeez will bat at seven. Both the players can bowl 10 overs more often than not while their batting is excellent at the international level. According to Aakash Chopra, Hafeez can accelerate at will if needed as well and hence, he makes it to his XI.

The pace attack of Chopra’s ODI XI of the decade comprises of Lasith Malinga, Mitchell Starc and Jasprit Bumrah. Malinga is an all-time legend when it comes to the limited-overs formats while Starc was the leading wicket-taker of World Cup in 2015 and 2019 both. Jasprit Bumrah has risen through the ranks in last four years since making his international debut in 2016 and is leading India’s pace attack now.

The only specialist spinner in the team is Imran Tahir who has defied age and picked wickets whenever it mattered for South Africa.

Aakash Chopra’s ODI XI of the decade: Rohit Sharma, Hashim Amla, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, MS Dhoni (C & WK), Shakib Al Hasan, Mohammad Hafeez, Lasith Malinga, Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah, Imran Tahir.