India's all-time greatest ODI XI

After the semi-final defeat against New Zealand in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019, India will be definitely looking for its middle-order to settle down before the start of 2023 World Cup which is going to be held in India around three years from now. India, in the past, have won two ODI World Cups in 1983 and 2011. A total of 231 players have donned the Indian jersey in ODI cricket and only 30 were lucky enough to kiss the World Cup from 1974 till date. Among all these tremendous players, we tried our best to pick India’s greatest ODI XI. It is difficult to compare players of different generations as the game of cricket is evolving rapidly since the first ODI match played on 5th January,1971. A score of 260 used to be a defendable total in most part of the 20th century but today due to the emergence of T20 cricket in 21st century even a total of 350 is being chased down. Although it’s a difficult task to do, we did our best to filter the best XI played in Indian cricket history. So, without any further delay, let us see the players who make into the greatest India ODI XI: 1. Virender Sehwag Virender Sehwag. (Photo Source: Twitter) One of the most destructive players, who played for India, will be the best choice to open the innings on any given day as he can slaughter the bowling attack in the first powerplay. He was one of the true reasons for the team’s success in the early days of this century. He can easily take away the game from the opponents with his stroke-play. His innings of 219 against West indies in 2011 is still the 3rd highest individual score in ODI history. Sehwag can even turn matches with his crafty off-breaks. With all these abilities he can be a perfect fit in to this position. In 251 ODI matches he played for his nation, Sehwag scored 8273 runs at a strike rate of 104.34 and an average of 35.06 with the help of 15 100s and 38 50s. He also has 96 wickets to his name. 2. Rohit Sharma Rohit Sharma. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images) Rohit Sharma would open the innings with Virender Sehwag. He has emerged as one of the he most destructive batsmen of the modern era. He times the ball with such an ease and can convert his centuries into really big scores. His six hitting abilities will be a bonus for the team as he has struck 244 sixes till now in his ODI career. Sharma holds the record for highest individual score of 264 in an ODI innings. He became the first and only batsman to score five centuries in a single edition of the World Cup, the feat he achieved in 2019. With him and Sehwag at the top, the top-order looks solid and brutal. So far, he played 224 ODIs and scored 9115 runs with an average of 49.27 with 29 centuries and 43 50s. Although he is not handy with the ball, he had a hat-trick to his name in IPL way back in 2009. 3. Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Tendulkar. (Photo credit should read MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP via Getty Images) There can’t be an Indian all time XI without him and one doesn’t need to explain the reasons for this selection. Such is his role in the development of Indian cricket. He was called the God of Cricket and redefined the word cricket in India. He is the first batsman on the planet to hit a double century in ODI cricket. In his 23-year long career he has many cricketing records to his name and is arguably the best batsman cricket has ever produced. Adding to his unmatched batting skills he can turn the ball both ways and was the only bowler who defended six or less runs in the last over twice. He played 463 ODI matches for India scoring whopping 18426 runs with an average of 44.83 with the help of 49 centuries and 96 50s. He also had 154 wickets to his name. 4. Virat Kohli Virat Kohli. (Photo Source: Twitter) This is another automatic selection to the list as the present India skipper is the most consistent player of the current team. He is called as the true successor of Sachin and his numbers speak for the statement. Every time our Run Machine walks out to the middle he tries to score as many runs possible and that hunger has made him the King of Cricket. The 2011 World cup winner is presently having the best average in ODI cricket and he also kept high fitness standards in the team. He is a very good fielder and it’s also a treat to watch his mind-boggling catches on the field. So far, he has played 251 ODI games for India in which he scored 12040 runs at an average of 59.31 and a strike rate of 93.25 with the help of 43 centuries and 60 50s and is currently having the second most number of hundreds in ODI cricket next to Sachin. 5. Yuvraj Singh Yuvraj Singh. (Photo Source: Twitter) Yuvraj had been one of India’s finest limited-overs cricketers. He is the prime reason behind India’s 2011 World Cup triumph with 362 runs and 15 wickets to his name. He was a clean striker of the ball and can clear any ground in the world. The southpaw is an outstanding fielder in the 30-yard circle and used to take some spectacular catches during his prime. Singh was also a useful left-arm spin bowler who used to give breakthroughs when the team needed him the most. He also had two hat-tricks to his name in a single edition of IPL which is still a record. Yuvraj who retired in 2019 played 304 ODIs for the nation scoring 8701 runs with 52 50s and 14 hundreds. He has 111 wickets and 94 catches to his name. 6. MS Dhoni (C & WK) MS Dhoni. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The 2011 World Cup winning captain is undoubtedly the best captain ever to play the game and will be the best to captain an all-time 11. His heroics in the 2011 World Cup final and the six he hit to win the WC for India will be cherished by the fans forever. He has all the major ICC trophies to his name. Apart from his leadership qualities he is a great finisher and can also win matches with his unorthodox keeping abilities. Even in pressure situations he remains calm and that is the reason behind his tremendous success in cricket. In 350 ODIs played for the nation he managed to score 10,773 runs at an average of 50.58. He has the most stumpings (120) in his ODI cricket. He retired from international cricket on 15th Aug, 2020. 7. Ravindra Jadeja Ravindra Jadeja of India. (Photo Source: Twitter) Adding this left-arm orthodox bowler will bring spice to the lineup as he has the ability change the outcome of the match with his three-dimensional play. His ability to perform in foreign conditions makes him to the list. Before the 2019 World Cup he was criticised as a ‘bits and pieces’ player but he delivered his best when his team needs him the most. Although India lost that match his innings of 77 off 59 balls will be remembered. He played a crucial role in Champions Trophy 2013 win and was the highest wicket taker of the tournament with 12 scalps. So far, he has represented India in 168 ODIs and picked 188 wickets at an economy of 4.93 and also scored 2411 runs with the help of 13 50s. 8. Kapil Dev Kapil Dev. (Photo Source: Getty Images) We can’t think of an all-time 11 without the name of Kapil Dev in it. The 1983 World cup winning captain was of India’s greatest cricketers in his era. He was the greatest all-rounder that the nation had ever produced. He had a strike of 95.07 which is huge in those days as batsmen struggled to have a strike rate of 50-60. His lethal swing bowling will be an asset to the team as his 253-wicket tally remains as the sixth highest in the list even after 25 years of retirement, which tells his greatness. Adding to his swing bowling and assaulting batting, Kapil was likewise a splendid fielder. With him at number eight, the batting looks more than solid. In 225 ODIs he played, Dev scored 3783 runs with a strike rate of 95.07 and had 253 wickets with an economy of just 3.72 which is outstanding. 9. Anil Kumble Anil Kumble. (Photo by Mike Egerton/PA Images via Getty Images) Called as Jumbo by his teammates Anil was the highest wicket tacker for India in both ODIs and Tests. He was an important member of the team in the beginning of this century. the then captain Sourav Ganguly once refused to travel without him in the squad. His top-spin and surprising bounce would make any batsman awkward at the crease. Anil, the best Indian leg spinner, would make it to the playing 11 of any Indian team without any questions. With 334 wickets in 269 games at an average of 30.83 and an economy rate of 4.29 he is one of India’s greatest spinners to have ever played the game. 10. Zaheer Khan Zaheer Khan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Often considered as Sachin of India’s bowling department, the left-arm seamer can destroy the batsman with his reverse swing on any wicket in the world. He led the pace attack of the Indian team that lifted the World Cup in 2011 and was even the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 21 scalps. Even though he didn’t get the attention for his heroics in the team victories he was one of the greatest fast bowlers to play for India. He also won some matches with the bat for the Men in Blue. With 282 wickets in his 200 matches at an average of 29.44 and an economy of 4.93 he contributed with an open heart to the Indian cricket. 11. Javagal Srinath Javagal Srinath. (Photo by Ross Setford/Getty Images) One of the finest fast bowlers to represent India at the international level, Srinath could have achieved much more if not for his injuries during his prime days. He can generate extreme pace and bounce from any surface and can destroy any batting lineup on his day. In the latter part of his career he realised that pace and bounce can’t be helpful in Indian conditions and he developed variations in his bowling. He shares the record for highest no. of wickets in a bilateral series with Amit Mishra with 18 scalps. Simply mentioning, Javagal was outstanding and unplayable as well at times. In his 229 matches for India, Srinath picked up 315 wickets at an average of 28.09 and an economy of 4.45. ~ Written by Uday Gurugubelli

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India's all-time greatest ODI XI

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