My ODI XI (2017)

My ODI XI

With the Champions trophy and IPL just around the corner, there’s a lot of limited overs cricket to be played in the coming months. So it is only fair that I do some sort of justice to the respective formats. Don’t get me wrong though, Test Cricket is still my favorite format. Having already done a Test XI, now it’s time for an ODI XI, followed by a T20 XI, which I will be doing in my next article. Without further ado, let’s have a look at my ideal ODI XI;

1  1)     David Warner (Australia) (Captain)

David Warner would feature in most people’s ideal XI’s, be it any format. If there was one format David Warner was left to conquer, it was ODI’S. Till early 2016, Warner was a decent ODI batsman, who would give you the quick start. As the year progressed, he seemed to be going from strength to strength. Having scored 7 ODI centuries in 2016, Warner definitely made a very strong case for himself. To add to that, he had scored those centuries at a conversion rate of 30.4%, a statistic that trumps the best ODI years of Sachin Tendulkar (26.5% in 1998), Gary Kirsten (20.7% in 1996) and Rahul Dravid (14.0% in 1998). If we bring half centuries into the picture, the stats look even more devastating. Warner scored a half century every second innings! Add to that his staggering strike rate of 105.47, and you have the perfect ODI opener.

2  2)     Martin Guptill (New Zealand)

Could Warner have asked for a better opening partner than Martin Guptill? Guptill might not be a very good player against the red cherry, but make no mistake, he absolutely demolishes every opposition when it comes down to white ball cricket. Averaging a tad bit over 40, Guptill’s numbers are quite amazing. With 3 scores in excess of 150 (including a double century)  (most by any batsman in ODI’s), Guptill is a modern day genius. His recent knock of 180* against a solid South African bowling attack in a must win game proved his mettle in run chases as well. Sitting here and imagining the destruction that Warner and Guptill could cause if they batted together for even 20 odd overs is simply mouthwatering.

3)    Virat Kohli (India)

Arguably the best batsman in world cricket at the moment, Virat Kohli is a must pick in any side, be it any format. Ever since Kohli made his debut in 2008, there has been no looking back. The man has reached a lot of of milestones and has gained several accolades on his wonderful journey to 7755 runs in just 179 ODI’s, at an impressive average of 53.11. The numbers look unmatchable when we bring chases into the equation. With 14 centuries in run chases (highest by any batsman) at an average of 90.10, Kohli seems unstoppable at the moment. Even if an early wicket falls, Kohli possesses a sound technique, good enough to face the new ball, when exposed to it. It is very important for a number 3 batsman to fill in that criteria.

4  4)  AB De Villiers (South Africa)

If there wasn’t someone of the caliber of Virat Kohli batting in at number 3, I would have definitely fit in De Villiers in that number 3 spot. The earlier this man comes in to bat, the better it gets. The best part is that you could fit him into any position ranging from number 1 to 7, and he will deliver the results. Be it any situation, any format, you can always count on AB to get the job done. Averaging over 50 in ODIs and Tests is no joke. It just goes to show the consistency of AB. In fact, ever since 2009, De Villiers has always been in the top 5 in the ICC ODI rankings. When it comes down to consistency, there are very few that match the class of Mr. 360.

5  5)     Steven Smith (Australia)

When it comes to technique, you might write him off. But when it comes to scoring runs, he is probably the best batsman out there. Some batsmen just seem to possess the quality of scoring a ton of runs, match after match, be it any venue, in any situation. Steven Smith belongs to that rare crop of batsmen, and is probably right on top in that list as well. For me it was a toss-up between Joe Root and Steven Smith for the number 5 spot. But just the fact that Smith is a better aggressive batsman made me sway towards Smith, by just an inch. Smith’s brilliant fielding has also been taken into consideration for his selection.

6  6)    Quinton De Kock (South Africa) (WK)

Trust me, number 6 does not do any sort of justice to this young man’s talent. Had Guptill and Warner not been around, De Kock would have been my number one choice for the opening slot. He seems to possess all the qualities of a very mature batsman, at just 24 years of age. I still remember that magnificent 48-ball hundred against the Delhi Daredevils, in the 2016 edition of the IPL. He kept such a calm head throughout the run chase, it reminded me a bit of Michael Bevan at his prime. Make no mistake, he has been very impressive even at the international level. De Kock has played a major role in the recent success of The Proteas. And my word, he has taken some absolute stunners behind the wicket as well! Equally good at diving both sides at full stretch, it as an absolute treat to watch ‘De Kock the wicket keeper’ as well.

7  7)     Marcus Stoinis (Australia)

It may be too much of an early call, but I would entrust the responsibility of the all-rounder to Marcus Stoinis, without a doubt. Stoinis showed the world what he can do in the 2016 IPL, where he was one of the few decent performers for the Kings XI Punjab, in an otherwise dismal season for the team. His recent debut series against a full strength New Zealand team saw him succeed as a batsman as well as a good bowler. His knock of 146* was an absolute freak of an innings. It was the second highest score by a bastman coming in at number 6 or lower. Such was the brilliance, that it got voted by ESPN Cricinfo as the best ever ODI knock in a losing cause. To add to that, he also picked up 3 wickets in the same match, making it one of the best ever performances in limited overs cricket. With still a long career ahead of him, I am backing Stoinis to become one of the all-time greats.

8   8)   Imad Wasim (Pakistan)

In my opinion, one of the most underrated cricketers at the moment. I would rate him higher as a limited overs player over Ravindra Jadeja, always. Jadeja outclasses him in the fielding department though. When it comes to bowling, both of them are similar if we consider their trajectory points and pace as well. Imad Wasim seems to be a genuine wicket taker, a quality that is essential for any spinner. When it comes to the economy, he is no slouch either. With an economy of 4.79, he is one of the best picks for any limited overs side. Also, Imad adds a lot with the bat as well. With an ODI average of 36.88 (including 3 fifties), and a First Class average of 41, Imad Wasim can be a decent finisher as well. He showed glimpses of his potential in the ODI series against England last year, where he remained unbeaten throughout.

9  9)  Chris Woakes (England)

If I had to choose the most improved cricketer in the past couple of years, it would be Chris Woakes. As a bowler, he has shown tremendous development, in all formats. He is similar to Starc in the sense that he is equally good with the new ball as well as in the death overs, with those yorkers. In the recently concluded tour of India, Woakes showed his ability with the new ball, taking some very crucial early wickets. He was also mighty impressive in the death overs. Woakes’ ability with the bat is an added bonus.

10)   Mitchell Starc (Australia)

Enough and more has been said about the capabilities of Mitchell Starc. Be it the new ball or the old one, he seems to have mastered the art of in-swing, reverse swing as well as the yorker length seems quite a potent weapon in his arsenal, which he seems to unleash at will. I can never seem to forget that spell of 6-28, against New Zealand in the 2015 World Cup, which included a brilliant display of reverse swing. Australia almost pulled off an impossible win out of nowhere, but then Kane Williamson happened. Time and again, Starc seems to simply run through the best of batting line-ups.

1   11)   Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh)

If there is any bowler in world cricket who can bowl 6 yorkers in an over, it is Mustafizur Rahman. His change of pace makes it even more difficult to play those pin-point yorkers. He might be a little man, but he can generate pace upto the 140 kmph mark on a consistent basis. What has been so good about Mustafiz has been his consistency in the death overs. After having a very successful home season with Bangladesh, he had nothing short of a brilliant debut IPL season, last year. It can be really intimidating playing in front of such huge crowds, but this 21-year-old from Bangladesh has made it look quite easy.

With Starc steaming in and bowling in-swingers to the right handers, Woakes would be bowling those out-swingers to the right handers, making life very difficult for the batsmen in the opposition. Add to that some cutters from Mustafizur in the middle overs, with economical overs from Imad Wasim as well, it would make for the perfect ODI bowling line-up.