'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
India and Australia have been two of the most dominant sides in the history of ODI cricket. Over the 48 year's of the 50-over format, the players from these two sides have enthralled and bewitched the cricketing world with their resplendent deeds on the cricket field. In fact, out of the 11 editions of the World Cup, seven of them have been won by one of these two.
Be it the class of Tendulkar, or the majesty of Ponting, or the craftiness of Mcgrath, or the wizardry of Warne, the cricketers from these two sides have had a lasting impact on the game. Now, how would it be, if the players from these two sides played for the same team?
With another India-Australia series about to start, let us look at a combined ODI XI comprising of greatest players from the Indian and Australian cricket team.
Openers
#1 Sachin Tendulkar
Any greatest ODI XI will be incomplete without this man’s name in it. Hailed as the ‘God Of Cricket’, Sachin Tendulkar holds just about every single batting record in the game. He leads the list most runs, most hundreds, most fifties, and the most man of the match awards in the format
Tendulkar’s ability to play the straight drive with effortless ease made your jaw drop. His ability to flick the ball between midwicket and square leg with the precision of a surgeon made opposition captains scratch their heads in utter disbelief.
Tendulkar is the most complete batsman that ODI cricket has ever seen. The ‘Master Blaster played a staggering 463 ODI’s for India and scored a whopping 18426 runs including 49 hundred and 96 fifties.
#2 Matthew Hayden
Opening the batting along with Tendulkar would be the left-handed batting marauder from Australia: Matthew Hayden. Hayden is one of the most destructive batsman ODI cricket has ever seen. His ability to hit the ball with tremendous power sent shivers down the spines of bowlers all through his career.
The artistry of Tendulkar and the audacity of Hayden will make for the most feared opening pair in ODI history.
RECORD: Matches:161 Innings:155 Runs:6133 Avg:43.81 100’s:10 50’s:36
Middle Order
#3 Ricky Ponting
At Number three, comes the legendary Australian batsman, Ricky Ponting. Without a shadow of a doubt, Ponting will go down as the greatest batsman produced by Australia in ODI cricket.
Ponting’s ability to play the pull shot past midwicket with majestic ease, and a cover drive that sent the ball screaming to the boundary made him an absolute joy to watch.
RECORD: Matches:375 Innings:365 Runs:13704 Avg:42.04 100’s:30 50’s:82
#4 Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli is only 30 years old but is already considered by many as one of the best batsmen to have ever played the game. The batting legend has been plundering runs at will against every opposition in all conditions for many years now.
Kohli’s numbers in ODI cricket almost make for surreal reading. For this reason, he is touted as the man who has a realistic chance of breaking Tendulkar’s big-ticket records in ODI cricket.
Kohli’s ability to mastermind a run chase and his ability to face the challenge in the eye has made him the greatest ODI batsman of the current generation
RECORD: Matches:222 Innings:214 Runs:10533 Avg:59.51 100’s:39 50’s:49
Wicket Keeper and finisher's
#5 MS Dhoni (Captain)
Mahendra Singh Dhoni is regarded as one of the finest finishers in the history of limited overs cricket. Dhoni’s ability to hit towering sixes and steer his side to victory with zen-like calmness made him a huge asset for India.
Behind the stumps, there are few wicket-keepers in the world who can match Dhoni’s prowess behind the stumps.
Dhoni will also lead the side because of his ability to think on his feet, and marshal his troops and bring out the best in them.
RECORD: Matches:338 Innings:286 Runs:10415 Avg:50.80 100’s:10 50’s:70
#6 Michael Bevan
In spite of playing in arguably the greatest Australian team ever, Michael Bevan carved out a niche for himself as a specialist finisher. Bevan’s ability to score at a quick pace and his ability to find gaps and keep the scoreboard ticking made him such an invaluable member of the Australian cricket team.
Record: Matches: 232 Runs scored: 6912 Average:53.58 100's 6 50's 46
Allrounder and Bowlers
#7.Kapil Dev
Kapil Dev is as good an all-rounder as anyone limited overs cricket has ever seen. The right arm pacer running in with his rippling muscles troubled many batsmen, and his tenacious out swinger posed questions to the best around.
The 1983 World Cup winning Captain was also an excellent striker of the ball. Kapil's ability to hit towering sixes is remembered by all. He was undoubtedly one of India’s greatest match winners.
BATTING RECORD: Matches:225 Innings:198 Runs:3783 Avg:23.79 100’s:1 50’s:14
BOWLING RECORD:Matches:225 Innings:221 Wickets:253 Average:27.45 S/R:44.28 5W:1
#8 Shane Warne
Shane Warne was one man who could weave magic with the ball in his hand. Along with Muttiah Muralitharan, he is the best spinner the game might have ever seen.
Warne’s talent to blind the batsman with his drift and extract vicious turn off the surface made even the greatest batsman absolutely clueless.
RECORD:Matches:194 Innings:191 Wickets:293 Average:25.74 S/R:25.74 5W:1
#9 Glenn Mcgrath
If there was one man who could consistently trouble the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara, then it was legendary Australian paceman: Glenn Mcgrath.
Mcgrath’s impeccable line and length, coupled with the skill to hit the deck hard and get the ball to seam both ways made him a tough bowler to get away with it for any batsman.
RECORD:Matches:250 Innings:248 Wickets:381 Average:22.02 S/R:34.04 5W:7
#10 Brett Lee
If Mcgrath teased the batsmen with his line and length, then Brett Lee made them hop around with raw, sheer pace. Lee’s used to the ball to shape away at a vicious speed and had a sharp bouncer and toe-crushing yorker at his disposal.
RECORD:Matches:221 Innings:217 Wickets:380 Average:23.36 S/R:29.43 5W:9
#11 Zaheer Khan
Zaheer Khan is without any doubt, the greatest left-arm seamer produced by India in ODI cricket. Zaheer’s was able to get the ball to swing both ways and had many variations in the armoury to use in the death overs. This made him such a lethal weapon for India in their 2011 World Cup win.
RECORD:Matches:200 Innings:197 Wickets:282 Average:29.44 S/R:35.80 5W:1
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download CricRocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more! 🚀☄️
