Alastair Cook picked as captain in Joe Root's All-time XI; Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli also included
What’s the story?
England batting mainstay Joe Root has picked his All-Time XI, consisting some of the best players to have graced this game. The 26-year-old right-hander picked as many as three Englishman in the line-up and had two Indians in the team- Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli and also two Australian players in the form of Shane Warne and Mitchell Johnson.
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Over the last 12-15 months, Lord’s Cricket Ground have been announcing several All-Time XIs, of some great past and present international cricketers and there have been some extremely impressive put forth by those players.
The heart of the matter
Root has picked an all England opening combination with Alastair Cook and Michael Vaughan opening the batting. Sachin Tendulkar, interestingly, will bat at Number 3 in the line-up followed by Jacques Kallis.
Root’s contemporary Virat Kohli will bat at five and the Indian’s Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate AB de Villiers will bat at 6. The bowling will consist of Andre Flintoff, Shane Warne, Mitchell Johnson and Glenn McGrath.
Joe Root’s All-Time XI: Alastair Cook(C), Michael Vaughan, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers, Kumar Sangakkara(WK), Andrew Flintoff, Shane Warne, Mitchell Johson, Glenn McGrath.
What’s next?
The folks at the Home of Cricket picked a modern-day great this time to pick his All-time XI, and it would be interesting to see whom they select next. Maybe someone like a Dale Steyn could perhaps give his best XI, consisting some of the best players that he has bowled and some of the bowlers, he has admired growing up.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Root has certainly picked a very impressive looking line-up, although the batting line-up could be shuffled at the top. Tendulkar had some of the best years as a player when he batted at the Number 4 spot and same was the case with Kallis, who was the rock for South Africa at the Number 3 spot.
Root could have also gone for a bit more variety and maybe picked a spin bowling all-rounder to lend more balance to the side.