World Cup History: Combined best Indian XI from the two World Cup-winning campaigns

India is the second most successful team in the history of the World Cup. The Men in Blue have lifted the World Cup on two occasions. In a cricket crazy nation like India, the squads which bring World Cup home become a part of the folklore. The two Indian squads which lifted the World Cup in 1983 and 2011 were full of legends.

Both the teams were very well balanced and didn't have many chinks in armour which made it difficult for the opposition. While the two achievements were separated by 28 years but both are a matter of pride for the Indian supporters.

The task of making an XI from these two squads is an unenviable task as you have to drop some of the greats of the game from the team. Here we have tried to take on this challenge as we have made a combined XI of two World Cup winning squads.

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Openers: Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag

Sachin and Sehwag

Sachin Tendulkar is arguably the greatest batsman in the history of the game. The Master Blaster holds multiple records in World Cup history. He was 37, during the 2011 World Cup but he played a key role in the success of the team.

The right-handed batsman who enjoys a cult status among fans was the India's top-scorer in the tournament. He scored centuries against England and South Africa in the league phase. Sachin helped the team in reaching the final by scoring fifties vs Australia and Pakistan in knockouts.

Virender Sehwag had the ability to demolish the confidence of the bowling attacks in the start of the innings. He took care of the run rate which made it possible for other batsmen to take their time at the crease. The right-hander makes this team ahead of Sunil Gavaskar because of his ability to dominate the bowling attacks.

Middle Order: Gautam Gambhir, Mohinder Amarnath, and MS Dhoni

Amarnath and Dhoni

Gautam Gambhir was an opener but for the sake of the team balance, he played at No. 3. The left-hander played a pivotal contribution in the World Cup winning campaign. He was the top-scorer for India in the final of the 2011 World Cup.

Mohinder Amarnath was one of the stars of the 1983 World Cup winning campaign. The all-rounder stepped up in big games which made him very important. He was awarded the Man of the Match award in both semi-final and final of the World Cup.

MS Dhoni is one of the greatest wicket-keeper batsmen in the history of the game. The right-handed batsman's ability to play well under pressure makes him an automatic pick in the team. The former Indian captain was the star of the 2011 World Cup final as he played a brilliant innings under pressure to win the tournament for his team.

All-Rounders: Yuvraj Singh, Kapil Dev, and Roger Binny

Yuvraj Singh and Kapil Dev

Yuvraj Singh won the Man of the Tournament in the 2011 World Cup. The star all-rounder contributed with both bat and ball throughout the tournament. He played some crucial knocks throughout the tournament with the bat and chipped in with wickets in the middle overs with the ball.

Kapil Dev was the captain of the Indian team in the 1983 World Cup. His innings of 175 versus Zimbabwe when India was in deep trouble gave confidence to the team. Along with bat and ball, he was a brilliant fielder too, no one can forget the catch he took to dismiss Vivian Richards in World Cup final.

Roger Binny is an underrated all-rounder but his performances in the 1983 World Cup can never be forgotten by the Indian fans. The fast bowler finished as the top-wicket taker of the tournament with 18 wickets to his name.

Bowlers: Madan Lal, Harbhajan Singh, and Zaheer Khan

Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan

Madan Lal played a huge role in the success of the Indian team in the 1983 World Cup. The fast bowler took the huge wicket of Vivian Richards in the final. Overall, he was the third highest wicket-taker in the tournament.

Harbhajan Singh was the number one spinner for the Indian team in the 2011 World Cup. The 'Turbanator' chipped in with wickets in the middle overs to choke the opposition. When he failed to pick wickets, he kept a lid on the scoring with his good line and length.

Zaheer Khan was the leader of the Indian pace bowling attack in the 2011 World Cup. The left-arm pacer finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament with 21 wickets to his name. The left-arm pacer has taken 44 wickets in World Cup which puts him joint fifth in the list of highest wicket-takers in World Cup history.