Team India's strongest ODI XI under Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli took over as India's full-time limited overs skipper in January 2017 during the three-match ODI series against England.

Kohli, who has captained India in the ODIs before (2013 against Zimbabwe and 2014 against Sri Lanka in Dhoni's absence) has been sensational after taking over the reigns from the most successful and a charismatic former skipper.

Under Kohli, India competed in one major ICC tournament- the 2017 Champions Trophy last year in which they lost in the finals against Pakistan at London.

Team India won eight consecutive bilateral series under Kohli and that phenomenal run came to an end in the recently concluded three-match ODI series against England, where they lost 1-2. It was the first bilateral series loss under Kohli and the first since January 2016.

So far, Team India has played 52 matches under Kohli in which they have won 39, lost just 12 with one match ending in a tie. Kohli has a winning percentage of 76.47 and is on par with some of India's successful ODI captains already. Let us now look at the players who were simply phenomenal under Kohli for Team India since January 2017.

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Openers

Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma

Since January 2017, the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan has been unstoppable for Team India at the top of the order.

Rohit Sharma was the second highest run-getter for Team India in 2017 with 1293 runs in 21 innings at an average of 71.83. In the series against Sri Lanka at home in December 2017, Rohit registered his third double century (second against Sri Lanka) in the ODIs enroute to his knock of 208*(153) at the PCA stadium in Mohali- which is the second highest individual score by a captain in the ODIs.

Rohit has amassed 324 runs in nine innings this year at an average of 40.50 with his highest score being 137*. The southpaw Dhawan has also been exceptional for Team India under skipper Virat Kohli in the past 18 months.

Dhawan was the sixth highest run-getter (third highest for India) in 2017 with 960 runs in 22 innings at an average of 48.0 with his highest score being 132*.

Dhawan continues to sizzle for Team India in 2018 with 443 runs to his name in just nine innings at an average of 55.37. The right-left combo has worked wonders for Virat's men in the limited overs providing the much-needed start to the innings.

Middle Order

Virat Kohli is one of the best batsmen in the world at the moment

Skipper Kohli proved once again as to why he is one of the most exceptional batsmen of all time by topping the batting charts in 2017.

The captaincy hasn't been a burden for the flamboyant Delhiite who finished 2017 as the highest run-getter with 1460 runs in 26 innings at an average of 76.84, with his highest score being 131.

He amassed a staggering seven half-centuries and six centuries last year and was by far the best. Under Kohli, Team India won five consecutive bilateral ODI series (against England, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand) last year.

At the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy (Virat's first major ICC tournament as a captain) in England, the Men in Blue finished as the runners-up to their arch-rivals Pakistan at the Oval. It seems that the skipper is in a flow this year as well, as he has so far amassed 749 runs in nine innings at an average of 124.83 with his highest score being 160*.

Ajinkya Rahane was one of the best middle-order batsmen for Team India last year and was India's fifth highest run-getter in 2017 with 586 runs in 12 innings at an average of 48.83, with his highest score being 103.

Rahane has 140 runs in five innings so far this year. Kedar Jadhav might be a surprising entry to list but he was phenomenal since Virat's inception as captain.

Jadhav finished 2017 with 561 runs in 18 innings at an average of 40.07 with his highest score being 120.

Jadhav also took 10 wickets in fifteen innings for India in 2017 played just one game this year. The middle order hasn't yet clicked for Team India yet, under Virat Kohli and many players have been tried at the number 4 slot.

Wicket-keeper

Dhoni was sensational for Team India even after handing over the reigns to Kohli

Any Indian Cricket team XI without Mahendra Singh Dhoni is incomplete. The greatest captain the game has ever witnessed and one of the best wicket keepers of all time, Dhoni was sensational for Team India even after handing over the reigns to Virat Kohli. Apart from being a guiding force for Kohli on the field, he scored 788 runs in 22 innings last year at an average of 60.61, with his highest score being 134.

Dhoni was Team India's fourth highest run scorer in 2017. In six innings so far this year, the charismatic former skipper has amassed 148 runs at an average of 37.0.

Recently, he became only the fourth Indian (12th overall) to score 10,000 ODI runs and the first Indian (fourth overall) wicketkeeper to take 300 ODI catches.

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All-rounder

Pandya had a decent run in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy where made 105 runs in three innings at a strike-rate of 194.44 and also took four wickets

The flamboyant all-rounder who rose to prominence through his exceptional performances for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL has been the answer to India's quest for a quality fast-bowling all-rounder since making his ODI debut in October 2016.

Pandya had a decent run in the 2017 ICC Champions Trophy where made 105 runs in three innings at a strike-rate of 194.44 and also took four wickets.

His valiant knock in the finals while chasing a massive 300+ target garnered praise from all walks of the game. Apart from scoring 557 runs in 19 innings last year, finished 2017 with 31 wickets in 28 matches.

Pandya, who has made 68 runs in six innings so far this year has five wickets to his name in nine matches. His game has been exceptional especially in the past 18 months and is now a permanent fixture in the Indian side.

Pacers

Jasprit Bumrah with his sling action and pace variations has been tormenting the batsmen since making his ODI debut in January 2016

Jasprit Bumrah with his sling action and pace variations has been tormenting the batsmen since making his ODI debut in January 2016.

Bumrah's rise under skipper Kohli has been phenomenal and he finished 2017 as India's highest wicket-taker (third highest overall) with 39 wickets in 23 matches at an economy of 5.13 with his best figures being 5/27.

The No.1 ranked ODI bowler has 8 wickets in six matches so far this year and is one of the brightest prospects for Team India.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar troubled the batsmen with his swing last year and was one of the prime wickets takers at the 2017 Champions Trophy (seven wickets in five matches). He finished the year as India's third highest wicket taker with 28 wickets in 24 matches at an economy of 5.05 with his best figures being 5/42.

Along with Bumrah, he has spearheaded the Indian pace attack very well and has two wickets in six matches so far this year.

Spinners

Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal have been sensational for India over the years

Since making his ODI debut for Team India against the West Indies in June 2017, Kuldeep Yadav has been sensational with the ball. He was the best spinner for the Men in Blue in the ODIs in 2017, finishing the year with 22 wickets in 14 matches. Kuldeep began 2018 with a dominating display of spin against South Africa.

The slow left-arm chinaman bowler was sensational for Team India during the South Africa tour earlier this year, picking up seventeen wickets during the victorious six-match ODI series (India won 5-1).

He continued his dream run with some brilliant performances against England recently picking up nine wickets in three matches.

He has 26 wickets(in nine matches) to his mane so far this year and he recently registered the best figures by a spinner in England (5/26). Yuzvendra Chahal combined well with Kuldeep to clean up the opposition batsmen with their spin.

He was India's fifth highest wicket-taker last year with 21 scalps in 14 matches at an economy of 4.5.

The 'KulCha' spin duo rattled the Proteas batsmen with their magical spin. The 27-year-old leggie has 18 wickets in nine matches this year and is one of the best wrist spinners currently.

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Do you think this is the best line-up under Virat Kohli? Sound off your opinions in the comments section below!