Asian ODI XI of the last decade

The subcontinent has been blessed generously in terms of the number of great one-day players it has produced over the last decade. It should come as no surprise considering the fact that teams from Asia are fed a heavy diet of limited-overs cricket. With that being the case, there is quite a vast array of players to choose from when it comes to picking an ODI XI from Asia.Here is an ODI Asian XI made up of players who have played a significant amount of ODI cricket in the last 10 years:

#1 Virender Sehwag

With an average of slightly under 40 from his 251 ODI games, Virender Sehwag has perhaps not reached the heights that his ability called for in ODI cricket. Nonetheless, he has been one of the most destructive batsmen in the world over the last few years and holds the priceless ability to win a match single-handedly, making him a must-have in any ODI XI.

In fact, most cricketers would bite their arm off to have Sehwag’s record of 8,273 runs in ODI cricket at an average of 35.05 and an exceptional strike-rate of 104.33, but the consensus that the Delhi opener could have achieved more in limited-overs cricket only goes to illustrate the extremely high regard he is held in.

He is, after all, one of only three men to have scored a double hundred in ODIs, having scored 219 off just 149 balls against West Indies in December 2011.

#2 Sachin Tendulkar

Well, what can be said that already hasn’t about a man who scored a mind-boggling 18,426 runs from 463 ODIs at an average of 44.83 with a highest score of 200 not out?

Sachin Tendulkar, quite simply, is one of the greatest cricketers the world has ever witnessed and will be one of the first names on the team sheet irrespective of the format in any world XI, let alone an Asia XI.

The one criticism, if any, towards the latter part of his career was that he was not attacking enough, but Tendulkar was humble enough to realize that players like Sehwag among others were more adept at playing the role of the aggressor and, accordingly, changed the way he went about things. That shouldn’t be mistaken for him losing the ability to dictate terms, because, if he had done so, knocks like the 200* against South Africa at Gwalior in 2010 and 175 against Australia at Hyderabad a year earlier wouldn’t have been possible.

#3 Kumar Sangakkara

It was quite evident when Kumar Sangakkara made his debut for Sri Lanka at the age of 22 that he was an extremely talented wicket-keeper batsman who would go on to achieve great things; however, if anyone suggests that they knew he would become Sri Lanka’s greatest ever batsman, they are nothing but lying through their teeth.

It was Mahela Jayawardene, after all, who was earmarked from very early in his career as the successor to the likes of Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga, but one can safely say that Sangakkara, instead, has eclipsed them all in the pantheon of Sri Lankan batting greats through his remarkable achievements.

While his strong suit is Test cricket without doubt, his numbers in ODI cricket aren’t too inferior, having racked over 14,000 runs, and still counting I might add, from 381 ODIs at an average over 40.

#4 Virat Kohli

Despite having played for only 6 of the last 10 years, the fact that Virat Kohli is fifth on the list of most runs in ODI cricket in the last 10 years amongst Asian batsmen tells us a thing or two about Kohli’s astronomical rise as an international cricketer. From 159 matches, he has scored 6,538 runs at 51.07 including a staggering 22 centuries, which is the most in the concerned period.

What stands out about Kohli’s ODI cricket, in particular, is his astute awareness of his strengths as a batsman and ability to strictly stick to that, in addition to possessing a calm and unflappable temperament especially during high-pressure run-chases.

#5 Mahela Jayawardene

It is hard to imagine where Sri Lankan cricket would have been if not for the reassuring presence of Mahela Jayawardene, alongside other stalwarts like Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan, in the dressing room. Apart from his batting ability, which is up there with the best the game has got to offer, he has also been a statesman for the game in Sri Lanka and led by example for the young cricketers coming into the team.

Talking specifically about his overall numbers in ODI cricket, he amassed 12,650 runs in 448 ODIs at an average of 33.37.

#6 Yuvraj Singh

I can pay no greater compliment to Yuvraj Singh than saying that he has been India’s greatest match-winner in limited-overs cricket over the last decade in a country that has been gifted with some other exceptional cricketers. He has unfortunately tapered off since his cancer illness in late 2011, but it would do a great disservice to Yuvraj to remember him for just his last couple of years.

In 293 ODI matches, he has racked up 8,329 runs at 36.37 with 13 centuries and 51 half-centuries, out of which 5,714 runs have come at an average of 49.68 in winning causes. His left-arm spin has also been a useful 5th bowling option in ODI cricket, none more so than during the victorious 2011 Cricket World Cup when he took 17 wickets from 9 matches.

#7 MS Dhoni (c & wk)

MS Dhoni’s batting exploits in ODI cricket are well known to one and all, having scored 8,504 runs from 263 ODIs at 52.17, but his wicket-keeping ability often gets shortchanged in my view. He has affected no less than 329 dismissals (244 catches and 85 stumpings), making him a sure shot certainty for the wicket-keeper’s spot.

As far as his batting is concerned, there are few more deadly during the final overs of an innings than Dhoni, with his ability to not only assess the situation but also to deliver being second to none. He is also the captain of this team, having won everything there is to be won in limited-overs cricket not just internationally but also at the franchise level.

#8 Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan might not be as glorified a figure as some of his colleagues in the Indian team, but that doesn’t mean that he has been any less important to the team’s success over the last decade. He has taken 282 wickets in his ODI career after making his debut in 2000 and played an instrumental role in many of India’s victories, perhaps without getting the praise for it. The 2011 ICC World Cup is a case in point. In the initial stages of the tournament, while the batsmen were living up to their star-studded reputation, the bowling was a real worry, none more so than when they tied against England despite notching up a score of 338 on the board.

Zaheer, however, didn’t shirk the responsibility of being the attack leader and really came to the fore towards the latter part of the tournament, finishing up as the joint-highest wicket taker of the tournament with 21 wickets from 9 games, to help India lift the World Cup.

#9 Lasith Malinga

There is no bowler in the world you would feel more secure giving the ball to than Lasith Malinga when defending ‘X’ number of runs in the final over of a run-chase in an ODI. He is not too bad when given the new ball in the search of quick wickets, either. He is, after all, one of the greatest ODI bowlers in the world not just of the last 10 years but all-time.

From 184 ODI matches for his country, he has taken 283 wickets at 27.31 with an economy rate of 5.23 an over, which is exceptional when you consider the fact that he bowls a fair share of his overs either during the powerplay or the death overs.

#10 Saeed Ajmal

It wasn’t so long back that Saeed Ajmal emerged on the international scene, making his debut against India in 2008, but he has already established himself as one of Pakistan’s greatest ever spin bowlers. With a top-notch record of 184 wickets from 113 ODI games, not to forget his Test match tally, Ajmal has been Pakistan’s go-to bowler in the most difficult of situations since his foray into the top level.

#11 Muttiah Muralitharan

Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who is the leading wicket-taker in both Test and ODI cricket with 800 and 534 wickets respectively, is one of the most iconic and respected figures in the game today courtesy of his stupendous achievements as a bowler in international cricket. He made his ODI debut against India in the year 1993 and quickly went on to establish himself as Sri Lanka’s greatest ever match-winner with the ball in hand.

With an action that can be described as “unusual” to say the least, he caused a lot of controversy during his time as an international cricketer surrounding its legitimacy. However, those who believe that the truckload of wickets Murali took over his 19-year international career were simply due to him enjoying a perceived advantage are doing little justice to his undoubted class and ability.

#12 Four reserve players

Due to the subcontinent’s riches in terms of ODI cricket, a number of players who perhaps deserved to get into the XI have had to miss out. They do, however, make the reserves to round off a squad of 15.

Here are the 4 reserve players:

Shahid Afridi has taken 395 wickets and scored over 8,000 runs from 398 ODI games for Pakistan after making his debut way back in 1996 as a 16-year-old. He started off as a batting all-rounder but has improved his bowling to such an extent in recent times that he is capable of playing as a bowler alone.

Suresh Raina, with 5,000 odd runs from 216 ODI games, has been one of India’s best limited-overs players in recent times, with his ability to hit fours and sixes right from the word go making him an essential component of the one-day set-up.

Tillakaratne Dilshan started off his Sri Lankan career as a middle-order batsman, and it would be safe to say that his career was meandering along at one point. But he found a new lease of life after being promoted to the top of the order around 2008 or 2009 and has till date scored over 9,500 runs from 314 ODIs at an average just slightly under 40.

Umar Gul’s plethora of injuries, of late, might have slightly hindered his cricketing career, but there is no doubt that he is one of the finest bowlers in the world when fit and firing. He has taken 173 wickets from 126 ODIs until now and, hopefully, can add plenty more wickets to his tally before retiring.