When tasked with picking the initial five players for his dream ODI XI, Sehwag promptly chose two of his former teammates without any hesitation.
Published Date – 12:12 PM, Fri – 8 September 23
New Delhi: India great Virender Sehwag has revealed the first five players he would pick if given the task of building a dream ODI XI.
Sehwag is well-known as one of the best ODI batters in recent times, with the dynamic right-hander having scored 8273 runs in 251 matches and 15 centuries for India in 50-over cricket with his unique attacking style at the top of the batting order.
The former India opener also played a major role in helping his side claim the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup title at home in 2011, scoring 380 runs in eight innings including a knock of 175 against Bangladesh, and he still keeps a close eye on his former side with this year’s tournament just weeks away.
Sehwag had no hesitation in selecting two of his former teammates when asked to choose his first five players in a dream ODI XI. He also included a third player from his home country in his list.
1. Rohit Sharma (India)
With five centuries and a whopping 648 runs at the most recent edition of the World Cup in 2019 and 9,922 ODI runs with three double centuries and the highest-ever ODI score, the selection of the current India captain was an easy choice for Sehwag to make.
2. Virat Kohli (India)
Kohli’s record in ODI cricket speaks for itself, with the legendary right-hander having compiled 12,902 runs and 46 centuries throughout a glittering career. The inclusion of former teammate Kohli was yet another easy selection for Sehwag.
3. David Warner (Australia)
Warner bats in a similar style to how Sehwag used to and the Australian was an automatic choice for the former India opener to make. The southpaw has 6,030 runs in 143 ODIs at an average of above 44 and 19 centuries.
4. Glenn Phillips (New Zealand)
One from left field here, as Sehwag opted for New Zealand hard-hitter Glenn Phillips. While Phillips is yet to play at a 50-over World Cup and has only featured in 16 ODIs for his country in which he has scored 351 runs with one fifty, Sehwag obviously saw something he liked during last year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia last year. Phillips hit a brilliant century against Sri Lanka at the SCG during that tournament and Sehwag is tipping the 26-year-old to shine in India.
5. Jasprit Bumrah (India)
Sehwag is an unbridled fan of the India speedster and used one of his five spots on the star quick that only recently returned from injury. Bumrah has 121 wickets in 73 ODIs and was one of India’s stars in 2019 WC, taking 18 wickets in nine matches.
Ten teams will feature in this biggest Cricket World Cup ever, to be played across 10 venues from October 5 to November 19, with the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosting the tournament opener and the final. The event will feature 48 matches to be played across 46 days.
The World Cup commences on Thursday, October 5 when 2019 finalists England and New Zealand clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with the event culminating in the final at the same venue on Sunday, 19 November. India will start its campaign with a match against Australia in Chennai on October 8.
Indian squad for World Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj.
