'%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)
The Indian Men's cricket team played its first ever ODI match in 1971 against England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It was the start of a journey which would see so many legends and more importantly, role models for the future and heading into its 47th year, it continues to produce several champions, both with bat and ball.
The men are often the celebrated half of the sphere, which comprises also of the women. They started their journey, much later in 1978 against England in Kolkata and with passing time, have given much joy to their supporters, none more than their spectacular run in the World Cup last year, when they narrowly missed out on winning the coveted crown.
Both teams in their respective histories have produced some champion performers and here's an All-time team albeit completely hypothetical comprising of some of the best players from both sides:
Notable mentions: Virender Sehwag, Sourav Ganguly, Smriti Mandhana, Shanta Rangaswamy, Diana Edulji
Openers
Sachin Tendulkar
Few would dispute the inclusion of Tendulkar as an opener in the side. In a 24-year chequered career, the right-hander amassed 18426 runs in 463 matches with 49 hundreds to his credit. The Mumbaikar was undoubtedly India's most reliable player in the 1990s when he dominated almost every bowling attack in the world with his magical strokeplay.
At the fag end of his career, he achieved his lifelong dream of winning the World Cup in front of his home fans in Mumbai in 2011 and eventually retired from the format in December 2012 as the leading run-getter as well as the leading century-maker in the 50-over format.
Anjum Chopra
One of the best players to emerge out for India in the limited-overs format, Anjum Chopra has a very impressive record to boast of in 50-overs cricket for India. In a 17-year career, which began in 1995, she played in 127 ODIs and scored 2856 runs at an average of 31.38 with 18 fifties and one hundred.
She was part of the side that reached the final of the 2005 World Cup in South Africa and was part of the shortlisted candidates for the ICC's Women's Player of the Year in 2006.
Virat Kohli
If Tendulkar was the mandatory choice as an opener, then surely its the same case with Virat Kohli for the Number 3 position. Cricket in its history has had players who have made the game look easy. Kohli has actually made the process of century-making look like a walk in the park, in 50-over cricket.
35 hundreds in 211 matches with 9779 runs at an average of 58.20. At this present moment, it would not be wrong to say that when Kohli finishes with the game, there would be few players who would be close to him and even fewer after he finishes who could break the records that he would have in his name when he's done.
Mithali Raj
Arguably, the greatest ever ODI player in the history of Women's cricket. Many players in Indian cricket have been celebrated and spoken of for a long time, but if there was one player who deserves to be given the accolades and needs to spoken of as highly as them, it is Raj.
With 6373 runs in 194 matches, she's the leading run-scorer in ODI cricket and has led India to two ODI World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017.
Harmanpreet Kaur
Mithali Raj's career has transcended more than one generation of India's women's cricketers. In the present group, if there was one player even she would have her hopes pinned on becoming as good as her, it would probably be Harmanpreet Kaur.
In 87 matches, the right-hander has scored 2196 runs at an average of 35 but more than the numbers, it is safe to say that Kaur has already played her finest innings and possibly, even India's best-ever in a World Cup game, courtesy the 171 not out in the semifinal stage of the competition against Australia at Derby.
It was a statement, not just merely a cricketing exhibition.
MS Dhoni(C&WK)
India's greatest wicket-keeper batsman in limited-overs cricket and their greatest-ever captain in coloured clothing. No All-time XI in white-ball cricket, involving India, is complete without the mention of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
The 37-year-old recently joined only Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly as the other three Indians to have amassed 10000 ODI runs and as he enters the last phase of his career, he would hope to end it by winning the World Cup in England, next year.
Kapil Dev
India's finest all-rounder bar nobody. The team have had great batsman, extraordinarily skilled spinners in their ranks, but none come close to the all-round ability which Kapil Dev got to the park in his great career.
Kapil's contribution to Indian cricket was far beyond numbers. In his time, he was influential in India competing with the best in 50-over cricket and it was his hunger to win and succeed that rubbed off onto the others in the 1983 World Cup, where many would say he played the knock that turned the tournament around for India- 175 against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells.
Jhulan Goswami
If Mithali Raj is arguably the greatest ever batswoman to play the game, then Jhulan Goswami could go down as the finest ever bowler. In 169 matches, Goswami has taken 203 wickets at an average of 21.77 and like Raj, featured in both of India's 50-over World Cup finals in 2005 and 2017.
Hopefully, she has a few more years under her belt in that version of the game.
Anil Kumble
India's greatest match-winner with the ball. Right through the 1990s, Kumble was the go-to man for Indian captains for his ability to take wickets at the start as well as the end of an innings and still stands as the highest wicket-taker for his country with 337 scalps in 271 matches, 11 years after announcing his retirement from 50-over cricket.
His best bowling figures of 6 for 12 stood for 21 years before Stuart Binny broke it in 2014 against Bangladesh.
Neetu David
Partnering Kumble in the spin department will be someone who was, perhaps, the finest left-arm spinner that women's cricket has seen. Neetu David's name may not ring a bell to the present generation of supporters, but a look at her numbers and that would give an idea as to how good she really was.
In 97 ODIs, David took 141 wickets at a spell-bounding average of 16.34 and before the Gayekwads, the Bishts and others emerged, was the leader of the pack as far as spin bowling in Indian Women's cricket is concerned.
Zaheer Khan
After Kapil Dev and Javagal Srinath had left the scene, India needed a new star to carry their fast bowling fortunes forward. In Zaheer Khan, they found that bowler.
In 200 ODIs, he took 282 wickets and was one of the stars in India's World Cup winning campaign of 2011.
Click here to get India Squad for T20 World Cup 2024. Follow Sportskeeda for the T20 World Cup Schedule, Points Table, and news
