Bradman and Tendulkar don't find a place in Dickie Bird's all-time Test XI

Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird

The cricket fraternity in India today was stunned at the omission of legends like Sachin Tendulkar and Don Bradman in the all-time Test eleven named by former English umpire Dickie Bird, with some former cricketers calling his team as “biased” and “ill-balanced”.

Bird’s choice was former India captain Sunil Gavaskar instead of India’s favourite cricketer of this generation, Sachin Tendulkar. Imran Khan was announced the captain of the legendary umpire’s preferred XI.

Besides the leaving out Tendulkar and Bradman, Bird’s team did not have the greats of the modern era like Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting and also the famous West Indian fast bowlers Malcolm Marshall, Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and Michael Holding.

On the occasion of his 80th birthday, in an interview with The Telegraph, he named his XI as follows: Sunil Gavaskar, Barry Richards, Vivian Richards, Greg Chappell, Graeme Pollock, Gary Sobers, Alan Knott, Imran Khan(c), Shane Warne, Dennis Lillee and Lance Gibbs.

Reactions were strong in India. Former Indiancaptain Ajit Wadekar had this to say:

“It’s a bit partial. He has selected only players whom he has seen from close quarters. But the combination is not balanced. Of course, Gavaskar will have to be there. But it is surprising that there is no Sachin Tendulkar, Don Bradman and the West Indian fast bowlers.

“And who will be the new-ball partner of Lilee? It’s also surprising there is nobody from among the famed Indian spin quartet of Bishan Bedi, Erapalli Prasanna, B S Chandrasekhar and R Venkataraghavan. It would also been ideal if Adam Gilchrist was there in place of Allan Knott,” he added.

Former Indian batsman and manager Chandu Borde said leaving out Tendulkar and Bradman from his team showed Bird’s lack of cricketing acumen.

“That’s his opinion. He must not have seen Bradman playing,” he said with a sense of sarcasm.

“By this team, one can see how good is his cricketing knowledge. Statistics will tell you about Bradman and Tendulkar. One need not refer to his eleven. From my point of view, it’s the English media which has made Bird an umpiring legend. He’s always (held a) bias.”