India’s Best ODI XI of the 1980s

The 80s saw a major transformation in the landscape of Indian sports. The 1983 World Cup saw the underdogs stun the mighty West Indies team and clinch the coveted title.

Kapil Dev and his men became overnight heroes as they had brought a sense of national pride to billions of cricket fanatics.

Cricket had surely taken over Hockey as India’s number one sport While the Windies were the dominant team with a galaxy of superstars, India had done enough to establish itself as a force to reckon with in limited overs cricket.

The World Cup triumph was followed by winning the Benson and Hedges World Series of Cricket, Rothmans Cup (1984), Sharjah Cup (1988) and becoming the champions of Asia by clinching the Asia Cup in 1984 and 1988.

The Indian ODI side was a potent unit with a charismatic captain in Kapil Dev, some elegant stroke-makers in Dilip Vengsarkar and Mohammad Azhar, quality all-rounders in Madan Lal and Roger Binny and some handy spinners in Maninder Singh and Ravi Shastri.

So it would be interesting to don the selector’s hat and select the best Indian ODI playing eleven of the 1980s

I have only taken those cricketers who regularly made it to the ODI team and came out with consistent performances with bat or ball.

Qualification Criteria

For Batsman - Min Matches – 50, Min Runs Scored – 2000 Avg 25+

For All rounders - Min Matches – 50, Runs Scored – 500

For Bowlers - Min Matches - 50, Min Wickets - 50+

---

#1 Sunil Gavaskar

Gavaskar was arguably the most technically correct batsman of his generation

The Indians were rock solid at the top with Sunil Gavaskar who was arguably the most technically correct batsman of his generation.

The ‘Little Master’ went about his batting in a conventional manner, playing copybook strokes to perfection. Bestowed with a near to perfect technique and a rock-solid temperament, Gavaskar was India’s first choice opener in limited overs cricket.

Gavaskar's presence gave a sense of calm as the gritty opener fended away hostile pace bowling spells to provide a stable platform for the Indians to build on.

Sunil Gavaskar ODI Record (1980-1989)

Opener

Matches 99 Runs 2838 Avg 35.03 100s 1

#2 Krishnamachari Srikkanth

Krishnamachari Srikkanth used to go after the bowling from the get-go

A daredevil in his own time, Krishnamachari Srikkanth was the perfect foil to Gavaskar opening the innings for India.

The dashing opener was a maverick of sorts who could go after the bowling from the first delivery.

The Tamil Nadu opener had an unorthodox yet effective batting style which earned him many fans across the globe. Srikkanth produced some quickfire runs to give the team the initial impetus up front. He could roll over his arm and had the knack of scalping some big wickets.

Kris Srikanth ODI Record (1980-1989)

Opener

Matches 124 Runs 3486 Avg 29.05 100s 4

#3 Dilip Vengsarkar

Vengasarkar was an elegant stroke-maker who looked at his best while driving the ball

Dilip Vengsarkar was India’s most dependable batsman in the middle order. The ‘Colonel’ was he was famously called made the number three position his own for almost a decade.

Vengasarkar was an elegant stroke-maker who looked at his best while driving the ball. On his day, he could torment the best of attacks.

Vengsarkar took on the mantle of becoming the lynchpin of the middle order and got runs consistently in limited overs cricket.

Dilip Vengsarkar ODI Record (1980-1989)

Middle Order Batsman

Matches 117 Runs 3277 Avg 36.41 100s 1

#4 Mohammad Azharuddin

Mohammed Azharuddin's silky batting looked a class apart with his wristy stroke play

Mohammad Azharuddin was arguably the most promising youngster who showcased all the promises of being a world-class player.

Azhar’s silky batting looked a class apart with his wristy stroke play. Hyderabad's stylish stroke-maker was a master at milking the singles and if required could change gears by scoring quickly with a range of attacking shots.

Azhar was a brilliant all-round fielder and took some sensational catches in the slips and close in position.

Mohammad Azharuddin ODI record (1980-1989)

Middle Order Batsman

Matches 98 Runs 2252 Avg 31.27 100s 2

#5 Ravi Shastri

Shastri was pretty adaptable and could bat anywhere in the order

Ravi Shastri was India’s frontline spinning all-rounder. A utility cricketer, Shastri was pretty adaptable and could bat anywhere in the order.

In the late 80s, he formed a handy opening partnership with Kris Srikanth guaranteeing India solid starts up the order.

He was a pretty useful bowler with his left arm spin and a good fielder off his own bowling… A thinking cricketer, Shastri became part of the Indian think tank.

Ravi Shastri ODI record (1980-1989)

All-rounder

Matches 119 Runs 2323 Avg 29.03 100s 2

Wickets 109 Eco.4.21

#6 Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev was arguably India’s finest all-rounder to grace the game

Kapil Dev was arguably India’s finest all-rounder to grace the game. The ‘Haryana Hurricane’ was a natural athlete with tremendous stamina and fitness levels.

Kapil who possessed one of the most lethal out swingers led the Indian seam attack with distinction. He was a power hitter who could change the course of the game with his belligerent hitting. Dev led by example with his superlative fielding across the turf.

His work ethics were unparalleled and the skipper’s charisma rubbed off on the entire team.

Kapil Dev ODI Record (1980-1989)

Allrounder

Matches 143 Runs 2869 Avg 26.81 100s 1

Wickets 168 Avg 26.25 Eco 3.68

#7 Syed Kirmani

Syed Kirmani was India's frontline wicket-keeper for the most part of 80s

Syed Kirmani was India’s frontline wicket-keeper for the most part of the 80s. The diminutive keeper was a glovesman par excellence, taking some electrifying catches behind the stumps.

‘Kiri’ was a pretty handy customer with the bat too and forged some match-saving partnerships with the tail-enders. A tough nut to crack, Kirmani was a fighter who never gave up in tough circumstances.

Syed Kirmani

Wicket-keeper

Matches 46 Runs 360 Avg 24

Catches

#8 Chetan Sharma

Chetan Sharma would go down as one of India’s most unsung cricket heroes

Chetan Sharma would go down as one of India’s most unsung cricket heroes. Sharma was an effective medium pacer who could swing the ball and get the crucial breakthroughs.

He was a power hitter and scored some whirlwind cameos down the order. Unfortunately, Sharma’s ODI career got jeopardized when he got hit by Javed Miandad for a last ball six at Sharjah. Few remember that he was the first Indian to take a hat-trick in ODIs.

Chetan Sharma ODI record (1980-1989)

Matches 60 Runs 440 Wickets 65 Eco. 4.95

#9 Roger Binny

Binny could chips in with handy knocks and bowl his medium pace in scalping wickets

Roger Binny was the ideal 'bits and pieces' cricketer who player an integral role in India's ODI success in the 80s. Binny could chip in with handy knocks and bowl his medium pace in scalping wickets.

He provided the much-required depth and balance in the Indian squad with his all-round abilities. Binny’s cricketing skills came to the fore when he became the leading wicket-taker in India’s successful 1983 World Cup triumph.

Roger Binny International Record (1980-1989)

Matches 72 Runs 629 Wickets 77

#10 Madan Lal

Lal was never afraid of taking up challenges

Madan Lal was one of the most hardworking cricketers to play for India in the 80s. A medium pacer, Lal was known for his long run up and rhythmic approach to the crease.

Lal was never afraid of taking up challenges and got wickets for the Indian team whenever the ball was thrown to him.

He added depth to the Indian batting by chipping in with some handy runs down the order. A complete team man, India could not have asked for more from Delhi's untiring allrounder.

Madal Lal International Record (1980-1989)

Matches 60 Runs 355 Wickets 66 Eco 4.07

#11 Maninder Singh

Maninder Singh

Maninder Singh

Maninder Singh was one of the most talented spinners to play for India. Considered as the heir apparent to the legendary Bishen Singh Bedi, Maninder was an enigma of sorts whose career reached glittering height before fizzling away into oblivion.

Bestowed with one of the most beautiful actions, Maninder bamboozled batsman with his natural drift and turn.

Singh bowled an immaculate line and often chocked the opposition with his nagging length. He was Indian leading spinner who more often than not impressed with his economical spells while donning the national jersey.

Maninder Singh ODI Record (1980-1989)

Matches 57 Wickets 65 Eco 3.88

#12th Man -Sandeep Patil

Sandeep Patil was an aggressive stroke maker who could score runs at a brisk pace in the middle order

Sandeep Patil was an aggressive stroke maker who could score runs at a brisk pace in the middle order. The handsome looking bloke could play the accelerator’s role to perfection with his entertaining stroke play. The dashing Mumbaikar could certainly pack a punch and help the team commanding totals.

Bench Strength -

Navjot Singh Sindhu – Navjot Sidhu was one of the upcoming stars who promised a lot with willow. Sidhu could play the role of an aggressor or be quite content at defending. He could play the sheet anchor’s role with his dodged defence or take on spinners and hit them for big sixes.

Manoj Prabhakar - Prabhakar proved his abilities as a quality all-rounder chipping in with handy contributions both with bat and ball. Prabhakar could swing the ball and had a very good yorker in his repertoire.

Kiran More - Kiran More took on the mantle of India's leading wicket-keeper when Kirmani bid farewell. An acrobatic Keeper, More impressed one and all with his razor sharp skills behind the wicket and combative instinct with the bat.

Note - Mohinder Amarnath has not been included as he played a major part of his cricket in the 70s and was at the fag end of his career in the 80s.

Before i conclude, there were some cricketers who need a word of mention for serving Indian cricket with distinction in the 80s. They haven't made the cut in the playing eleven as they were in and out of the side and dint have a consistent run owing to tough competition from some stalwarts.

Notable Mentions - Yashpal Sharma, Raman Lamba, Chandrakant Pandit, Laxman Shivaramakrishnan, Arshad Ayub, Kirti Azad

---

What do you think about this line-up? Sound off in the comments section below!