While watching the bore-fest Asia Cup in fragments, I have been thinking, what would be the best ODI XI ever? I must add here that “ever” for me would probably go back 10 to 12 years, not more than that. Here is my eleven:
- Virender Sehwag
- Mathew Hayden
- Rahul Dravid
- Steve Waugh (c)
- Sachin Tendulkar
- Adam Gilchrist (w)
- Lance Klusner
- Wasim Akram
- Shane Warne
- Glen McGrath
- Mutthiah Muralitharan/Anil Kumble
12th man: Allan Donald
Honorable mention: Sourav Ganguly, Waqar Younis
Here is the reasoning behind the selection. The openers must be aggressive run getters. I almost made Sachin the opener, but somehow felt uncomfortable about Hayden and Sachin batting together; nothing serious, it just didn’t seem to fit. Besides, Sehwag as opener, when he doesn’t throw his wicket away can be rather demoralizing to the opposition.
Dravid has always been my dream #3 batsman, one who could steady the batting whether the team is 8-1 or provide spine when on 110-1. I wouldn’t pick anybody else for the part, maybe Ponting (but not on current form) and only if Dravid is unavailable. Waugh at #4 is another dream pick. Besides, Dravid and Waugh batting together would be interesting to watch, that too when the former being an admirer of the latter. I made him captain for his skills and the respect he is likely to get from the team.
It’s hard to pick an ODI side without Tendulkar. Ideally, he should either open or bat at #4. But having picked Waugh, I didn’t think any other position would be apt for him. Yes, Sachin at #5 could prove problematic, given his ordinary stats for #4 in ODIs. But I’m not quite sure what to do here.
Gilchrist plays as wicketkeeper and at #6 is bound to deliver a good amount of punch. Klusner plays as all rounder. The legendary Akram must figure in any dream team for his tact with both the new and old ball. As a better batsman, he bats above Shane Warne, who is another must-pick. I picked Glen McGrath for his impeccable line and length and chose Murali and Kumble to pick from depending upon the kind of variety required. Donald is my 12th man as I assumed we are playing on spinning track. On a green track, I would lose one of the spinners.
Team composition is a bit bat-heavy, especially with Klusner at #7, but these folk to me are legends.
July 6, 2008 at 5:43 am |
Dravid- egad!
July 6, 2008 at 10:49 am |
Switch Waugh and Sachin in the batting order – Waugh batted at 5-6 for most of his career.
Dravid in an ODI team is arguable – the likes of Jayasuriya, saeed anwar, ganguly would have been better bets. Or even Brian Lara.
Sehwag is destructive but he’s no where near the class of the names metioned above.
I would have Brett Lee somewhere. Maybe even Jonty Rhodes.
Anil Kumble? Nah.. not for ODIs
July 6, 2008 at 11:05 am |
Boss, you are surely inviting trouble. No West Indian i.e. Lara, just 2 frontline pacer; 2 full-time spinner in ODI XI when you have part-timers in Sehwag and Tendulkar; I think bowling looks little weak.
And u r in trouble as well because you have drafted in an ICL player, Klusener. Pray Lalit Modi and Co don’t chance upon your post!
July 6, 2008 at 2:13 pm |
my XI from almost the same time
1. gary kirsten
2. sanath jayasurya
3. rahul dravid
4. sachin tendulkar
5. steve waugh (c)
6. inzamam-ul-haq
7. adam gilchrist (w)
8. shane warne (vc)
9. brett lee
10. wasim akram
11. murli
12th man jonty rhodes
July 6, 2008 at 4:51 pm |
Sehwag in a dream team????
Bring Gilcrist up the order. In place of sehwag. Include batsmen like Sanath, Saeed Anwar, etc. Murli and Shane are enough when u considering the spin options. Get Ambrose or Walsh also.
July 7, 2008 at 3:03 pm |
i agree with som…lara is certainty in any dream team…
only four bowlers? you seems to be a defensive captain
)
July 7, 2008 at 10:46 pm |
@Q, I’m allowed to pick only 11.
Strangely Lara did not come to mind. Maybe it is a case of “out of sight out of mind”. I did consider Gayle for opening, but picked Hayden instead.
@Som. Klusner is with ICL?
I had no idea.
@ankit, cool man!
@Trideep, looks like many ppl don’t agree with Sehwag making the cut.
@SP, defensive selector perhaps I was thinking of Klusner as the 5th bowler.
As for having Lara, who would you replace to bring him in?
July 8, 2008 at 12:31 pm |
sachin
July 8, 2008 at 3:14 pm |
Lara instead of Sehwag with Sachin to open. Definitely!!! Sehwag in ODIs is no where in the same league as any of these players.
Klusener was one of the 1st signess of the ICL.
July 8, 2008 at 9:51 pm |
@SP, you still haven’t gotten out of your ‘bid adieu to Sachin’ mode is it?
@Q, that seems to be the only option here, isn’t it. Can’t drop anyone else.
July 18, 2008 at 9:28 pm |
No steve waugh.. with waugh and dravid… the score might not move… plus who is the fifth bowler… nice attempt VM… this all star eleven will always get a debate… you can’t satisfy all… but you can buy us beer instead
July 18, 2008 at 10:17 pm |
@Scorpy,
…the score won’t move. Hilarious, I can almost picture that : each one admiring the other’s defences. Fifth bowler = Klusner. On a green wicket, I’d drop him and replace with Donald.
Defintely, beer’s on me.
July 18, 2008 at 10:24 pm |
@Ott, I was wondering how come you didn’t respond. For some reason you got caught in the spam. Good I looked to de-spam. Anyway, I knew you’d have something to say about Dravs
September 8, 2008 at 6:09 pm |
Well here my share of the cake..In my opinion the DREAM TEAM ODI XI must be ..
1. SAEED ANWAR
2. SANATH JAYASURIYA
3. SACHIN TENDULKAR
4. SAURAV GANGULY
5. IMRAN KHAN (C)
6. ADAM GILCHRIST(WK)
7. ANDREW SYMONDS
8. WASIM AKRAM
9. WAQAR YOUNIS
10. SHAUN POLLOCK
11. MURALITHARAN
12 MAN…SHANE WARNE
CHECK THIS OUT..NOW IN THIS TEAM U HAVE 5 FAST BOWLERS, 5 SPINNERS, 9 BATSMEN….(SAEED ANWAR WAS ALSO A GOOD PART TIMER SPINNER)
————————————————————————————-
October 29, 2008 at 11:43 am |
what about Mendis?
October 29, 2008 at 11:44 am |
we Call him BLACK WIZARD
November 23, 2008 at 2:26 pm |
You’re crazy, Gilly batting at #6 in ODIs? After his last WC final performance? You must be kidding me.
Here’s my team pick: 1. Gilchrist 2. Jayasuriya 3. Tendulkar 4. Bevan 5. Symonds 6. Imran Khan 7. Jonty Rhodes 8. Wasim Akram 9. Shane Warne 10. Waqar Younis 11. Muralidharan 12. Joel Garner
Admittedly it’s a batsman’s team, but assuming everybody’s in their heydays Wasim and Waqar should be enough to bowl any team up.