India's playing XI from Jonny Bairstow's international debut in 2011 - Where are they now?
One of the undisputed heroes of England's victorious 2019 World Cup campaign, Jonny Bairstow made his international debut against India back in 2011.
The wicketkeeper celebrated his 34th birthday on Tuesday (September 26) and the cricketing fraternity took the opportunity to wish him on his auspicious day.
A destructive batter who can decimate any bowling attack on his day, Bairstow will be a vital cog for England in the forthcoming World Cup. The tournament is set to take place in India from October 5 to November 19.
Bairstow was always destined for greater things. Having made his international debut against India back in 2011, it took him a few years to establish himself as the player he is today.
Bairstow made an immediate impact as he scored a match-winning 41 off 21 deliveries in his debut ODI also earned him the Player of the Match Award. England went on to win the game by six wickets and won the series 3-0.
On that note, let us have a look at India's playing XI from Bairstow's debut in 2011 and where are they now:
India Batters - Parthiv Patel, Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, MS Dhoni
It was the fifth ODI of a bilateral series held in England. The visitors playing in Cardiff decided to play with six specialist batters and went on to post a challenging score of 304 in their allotted 50 overs.
Parthiv Patel and Ajinkya Rahane started off fluently by finding the boundaries at regular intervals but couldn't continue the good work, giving away their wickets cheaply.
It required a monumental 170-run partnership between Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli to steady the ship for the Men in Blue. Kohli scored a brilliant 107 off 93 deliveries while Dravid chipped in with 69 off 79 deliveries.
Suresh Raina departed for a run-a-ball 15 while MS Dhoni scored a blistering half-century which came in just 26 deliveries, including five fours and two sixes.
However, the score of 304 wasn't enough to hand the visitors their first victory of a one-sided tour. Jonathan Trott, Alastair Cook, and Jonny Bairstow put on a solid show with the bat as England won by six wickets (DL method).
The likes of Parthiv Patel, Suresh Raina, Rahul Dravid, and MS Dhoni have all retired from the international game.
Parthiv was recently seen plying his trade in a T10 league in Zimbabwe. He is currently a part of the Mumbai Indians' talent scout team along with his former teammates RP Singh and Vinay Kumar.
Dravid is currently the head coach of the Indian national team. He was elevated into this position back in November 2021.
Meanwhile, Raina and Dhoni announced their retirement from international cricket on August 15, 2020. While Dhoni continues to lead the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, Raina has retired from all forms of cricket. However, he has kept himself busy with T10 competitions across the globe.
Raina listed himself at a base price of $50,000 ahead of the Lanka Premier League in 2023. However, his name was never called in the auction while some reported that he himself withdrew his name.
Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli, both are active players. While Kohli has established himself as arguably the greatest all-format player of the modern generation, Rahane is struggling to find a permanent place in the Indian team.
Rahane lost his place in the Indian Test side after a string of poor performances. However, his performance in the WTC final, albeit in a losing cause, has also given him a lease of life, at least in this format.
Rahane is not a part of the white ball set up having played his last ODI way back in 2018. Meanwhile, Kohli will be an integral player as the two-time World Champions prepare for the World Cup.
Bowlers and all-rounders- Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, RP Singh, Munaf Patel, Vinay Kumar
The Men in Blue played with a couple of spinners and three fast bowlers in the final ODI against England in 2011. Neither Ashwin nor Jadeja could make an impact as they were taken to the cleaners.
Jadeja picked a wicket but conceded 52 runs in five overs. Ashwin was also a tad expensive, conceding 25 runs in four overs. Vinay Kumar and RP Singh bagged a wicket each while Munaf Patel went wicketless.
Ashwin and Jadeja have established themselves as top-class Test bowlers. The duo loves hunting in packs and are the two top-ranked bowlers in the latest Test rankings.
While Ashwin is the No 1 Test bowler, Jadeja is at No 3. Even their all-round credentials cannot be denied.
However, the equation is not the same when it comes to the limited overs format. While Jadeja is expected to be one of the most important players for India in the World Cup, Ashwin isn't in the preliminary squad.
However, the injury to Axar Patel has opened up the possibility of Ashwin returning to the national squad for the showpiece event.
Ashwin has bowled brilliantly in the ongoing ODI series against Australia. If there are any injury concerns in the spin department, he could be India's go-to guy.
Meanwhile, RP Singh, Vinay Kumar, and Munaf Patel have retired from international cricket. RP Singh is currently an active commentator besides being a talent scout for the Mumbai Indians.
Meanwhile, Munaf Patel is currently the bowling coach at the Baroda Cricket Association. He was a player cum mentor of the Kandy Tuskers in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) in 2020.
Vinay Kumar announced his retirement in 2021 and since then, he has been an active face in retired T20 Leagues. Vinay was part of the India Legends squad in the Road Safety World Series last year.