Sam Billings picks Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni in his all-time XI

England wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings, who is currently recovering from a dislocated shoulder, created his all-time playing eleven. To start with, Billings picked Robert Key, who played 15 Tests, five ODIs and a solitary T20I for the Three Lions. He has over 28,000 runs, combining all forms of cricket. Next, Sam went for Alastair Cook, who retired from international cricket last year.

Cook had a tough time in the dying stages of his career for England, but with 38 centuries, he was one of the most successful England batsmen, especially in Test cricket. Thereafter, Billings went for Australian legend Ricky Ponting, the two-time World Cup winning captain. With as many as 71 centuries and 144 fifties, the Tasmanian is one of the greats the game has ever been a witness to.

Sam picked his first Indian in the form of Virat Kohli, who has been setting new benchmarks of batting for the last decade or so. At the age of 30, the Indian captain has 66 international centuries and is speculated to break a number of records in the future. AB de Villiers was Sam’s pick for the number five slot. The South African cricketer hung his boots from international cricket last year and was one of their mainstays.

MS Dhoni as the captain

The keeper then picked Ben Stokes as the all-rounder in his team. Sam went for none other than MS Dhoni as the skipper of his eleven. Dhoni has glory in all the three ICC trophies to his name and also guided India to the helm of the rankings in Test cricket. His next pick was Darren Stevens, who didn’t get to represent England but plied his trade expertly for Kent and Leicestershire in the English domestic circuit.

Kagiso Rabada and Mitchell Starc are his fast bowlers. Both of them have been frontline speedsters of South Africa and Australian bowling unit respectively. Muttiah Muralitharan, the Sri Lankan legend, is the lone spinner he decided to take in his side. Out of his eleven, five will be playing the upcoming World Cup in England and Wales.

Here is Sam Billings’ all-time XI:

Robert Key, Alastair Cook, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Ben Stokes, MS Dhoni (C & wk), Darren Stevens, Kagiso Rabada, Mitchell Starc, Muttiah Muralitharan