Sourav Ganguly names Ponting as skipper in All-time XI

Former India skipper and current cricket administrator Sourav Ganguly has named his All-Time XI. Talking about his XI, Ganguly has chosen his former Australian counterpart Ricky Ponting as the skipper for his side. Speaking in a video for prominent YouTube Channel ‘Lord’s Cricket Ground’, Ganguly said that Ponting was perhaps the best captain of his time.

Ricky Ponting was a supremely successful skipper and is only the second captain to lead his side to two World Cup triumphs following Clive Lloyd. Although discharged from the Australian side in perhaps the most disappointing of manners, Ponting was a batsman and a skipper par excellence. To fill the void of the wicketkeeper, Sourav Ganguly has opted to go in with perhaps one of the best in the business – Kumar Sangakkara.

Apart from the former Sri Lankan skipper’s obvious glove work, Sangakkara has been one of the cricket’s most prolific batsmen in the past. To fill in the opener’s slot, Ganguly has gone in with two left-handers, similar to himself. Australia’s Matthew Hayden is known for his exploits against the Indians while Alastair Cook, a legend of the game who still is playing the game with over 10,000 Test runs to his belt.

Filling the middle-order were some of Ganguly’s best friends in cricket – Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. While Tendulkar has been an automatic pick for most legends naming their respective teams, Dravid is regarded as perhaps one of the best ‘gentlemen’ of the sport. Jacques Kallis, perhaps the second best all-rounder the sport has ever produced holds down the spot of the all-rounder.

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Much like he would have done in his playing days, Ganguly has filled out the team with two pacers and two spinners. The pacers include Glenn McGrath and Dale Steyn, two bowlers who have faced Ganguly as a batsman during their respective career. In a distinct similarity with all those who picked their respective XI’s, Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan, the highest wicket-takers in the world complete the side.

Sourav’s All-time XI:

Ricky Ponting (C), Kumar Sangakkara (WK), Alastair Cook, Sachin Tendulkar, Matthew Hayden, Rahul Dravid, Jacques Kallis, Glenn McGrath, Dale Steyn, Shane Warne, Muttiah Muralitharan