All-time Indian cricket team ODI XI
On Sunday, the Indian cricket team became the first nation to play 1000 ODIs. The Men In Blue, who played the game against the West Indies, emerged victorious comfortably and added another feather to what has become a burgeoning cap.
The Indian cricket team, whose debut ODI was against England in 1974 (three years after the first-ever ODI), have only grown from strength to strength, with the support of billions adorning the journey.
During their sojourn, the Indian cricket team has tasted success in ICC Cricket World Cups twice – 1983 and 2011. They have reached the final on one further occasion (2003) and have been regular fixtures in the knock-out stages.
The Indian cricket team has also laid its hands on the ICC Champions Trophy twice. While they shared it with Sri Lanka in 2002, they won it in outright fashion in 2013 under MS Dhoni’s leadership.
Apart from that, some of ODI cricket’s finest players have come from these shores, meaning that whoever is to pick the best Indian cricket team ODI XI of all time will have a tough task on their hands. That, though, is exactly what we are going to indulge in.
As a bit of a spoiler, there might be a couple of remarkable omissions and a couple of inclusions that might leave you scratching your heads. But when considering what each brings to the fore and how each complements the side, it becomes easy to understand why this particular team has been selected.
Note: The article is defined by the writer's opinion and does not necessarily reflects the views of Sportskeeda.
Indian cricket team's greatest ODI XI
Openers – Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag
We know what all of you are thinking. How can an Indian cricket team all-time ODI XI be assembled without Sachin Tendulkar as its opener? But with Rohit and Sehwag in the mix, this XI will do just fine.
Sehwag, throughout his career, tore bowling attack to shreds. He didn’t average as much as he did in the longest format but played several knocks that set the foundation for the Indian cricket team’s watershed victories. The batter also had an unmatchable aura and the mere sight of him striding out to the centre made many bowlers and captains endure sleepless nights.
Rohit, meanwhile, is one of the greatest modern-day openers in the world. He began his career patchily and wasn’t a permanent fixture until he was pushed to open in 2013. That move rejuvenated what had become a narrative of unfulfilled potential and he has, since then, taken the Indian cricket team to unprecedented heights.
The current Indian white-ball captain also has three double centuries to his name in ODI cricket – a tally that no one has come close to rivalling, let alone better. He also takes a bit of time to settle down at the start, which complements Sehwag’s devil-may-care philosophy perfectly.
It was very tough to omit Sachin from the side. But with a few anchors to follow, it made more sense to have Rohit and Sehwag at the top.
Middle order – Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli
Speaking of anchors, none has been as influential as Kohli in the past decade. The former Indian cricket team captain has plundered runs for fun and has taken apart almost every bowling attack he has encountered.
He boasts the uncanny knock of scoring runs even when he isn’t at his best and that, considering the stroke-makers above him, makes him an indispensable commodity. That he averages 75.85 when India wins and averages 58.53 overall, makes his inclusion a no-brainer.
Gambhir, on the other hand, is the more questionable selection, considering he pipped the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and Tendulkar to this spot. Gambhir only averages a tick under 40 (39.68) in ODI cricket and his strike rate of 85.25 doesn’t set pulses racing either.
What he does bring to the fore, though, is tenacity and the ability to stand up when his team needs him the most. Remember the 2011 World Cup final and the Dhoni flourish to seal the deal? Well, it was only possible because Gambhir had steadied the ship after some of his more illustrious peers departed.
He may not have accumulated as many runs or racked up as many hundreds as some of the others. Yet somehow he always found a way to dig India out of trouble. That, coupled with his ability to dominate spin in the middle overs, means that he adds more value and adaptability to this eleven.