The ODI XI of the decade

AB de Villiers (129 innings, 6485 runs, Avg: 64.20)

AB de Villiers plays behind square

Watching Mr. 360 at work is like watching no other batsman in our game. With his vast array of shots all around the wicket, from the conventional drives and flicks to the unorthodox tennis backhand shots and the reverse sweeps behind square on both sides, he seems to place the ball at virtually any position of his choosing.

While AB de Villiers has shared a protracted relationship with the wicketkeeper’s gloves and the captaincy of the national team, his batting has remained unfailingly reliable.

He was adjudged ICC ODI Player of the year in 2010, 2014 and 2015. Also, he became just the 5th player to score consecutive centuries in a World Cup in 2011 and finished the 2015 edition as the third-highest run-scorer with 482 runs at a mammoth strike rate of 144 and an equally unbelievable average of 96. In addition, he also holds the records for the fastest ODI 50, 100 and 150 all scored in 2015 against the West Indies.

He retired from all formats of International cricket in early 2019, but the rumour mill keeps churning out possibilities of an international comeback, after his great form in domestic T20 tournaments all around the world.

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Ben Stokes (81 innings, 2682 runs, Batting Avg: 40.63, 70 wickets)

Ben Stokes hammers one against New Zealand

Many consider him a natural successor to Jacques Kallis as the world’s best all-rounder. While he has had constant brushes with controversy, the New Zealand-born left-hand batsman and right-arm medium pacer has always been a consistent performer for his team in all three facets of the game.

As the bedrock of his team’s middle order, Ben Stokes is capable of switching gears rapidly from middle-order rock to swashbuckling death hitter. He also offers his more than useful skill of medium pace bowling, with an ability to hit the deck hard and generate considerable pace.

He has always been a constant in the England ODI squad since their renewed focus on the limited-overs formats, but his real breakout year was 2019, a year which included 465 runs in the World Cup. He was adjudged man of the final for his first innings 89, in a game more well known for the controversy surrounding the boundary countback rule.

At the young age of 28, he would look to continue contributing to his team’s success and entrench himself as the best all-rounder in the world.