India’s all-time world cup 11: ICC Cricket World Cup has already started and big totals are on the cards. Every team on its day can turn the match around. Preliminary squads and the stand-byes have been finalized and the teams have unveiled their jerseys. This time’s world cup comes with a feature of hosting 10 teams unlike 15 in the year 2015. The tournament is conducted every four years with the first match played in 1975 and West Indies winning the final against Austral.
Ireland and Afghanistan, the newest Test cricketing nations needed to qualify for the World Cup. Afghanistan defeated West Indies in the finals of the qualifying tournament in Zimbabwe. Host country Zimbabwe failed to reach the World Cup, missing it for the first time since 1983. Ireland too will miss the World Cup for the first time since 2007.
India’s All Time World Cup 11 based on World Cup Records
#1. Sachin Tendulkar
He became the second player in the world to play as many as six World Cup tournaments. The legendary batsman has scored 2278 runs in 45 matches at an average of 56.95. Tendulkar was in dazzling form in the World Cup 1996 and played some magnificent innings for the Indian team.
But not all times can be good. He could not perform his best in the 1999 World Cup but ensured his best return. He came back strongly and won the Man of the tournament award after scoring 673 runs in the 2003 World Cup. The little master is still the highest run-scorer in World Cup history. Tendulkar’s dream of winning the coveted trophy was finally fulfilled in 2011 when Team India defeated the Sri Lankans in front of his home crowd at Mumbai. He has scored 2278 runs in 45 matches at an average of 56.95.
#2. Sourav Ganguly
India couldn’t win the 2003 World Cup but some players from the game will always be remembered. Sourav Ganguly became a respected cricketer for leading the Indian side to the final of the 2003 World Cup.
He is called the Prince of Kolkata for a reason. He scored 183 runs in the previous edition which still remains the highest individual score by an Indian in the World Cup, against Sri Lanka at Taunton. He holds 1006 runs in 21 matches at an average of 55.88.
#3. Virat Kohli
It was his first performance in the World Cup and he managed to win a million hearts with his outstanding debut in 2011 World Cup. He continued making useful contributions from the middle order throughout the 2011 World Cup. By the time World Cup 2015 arrived, the dashing batsman had grown in stature as an ODI batsman and he once again started the tournament on a high registering a brilliant hundred against arch-rivals Pakistan.
However, he failed to maintain the momentum and couldn’t do much in the latter half of the tournament. Indian Cricket team skipper is ready to improve his World Cup record in the upcoming edition. He is rightly called the chase master as he carries the skills and experience to understand the dynamics of a chase. He has phenomenal numbers while chasing in ODIs. He has scored 6617 runs in 133 matches at an average of 68.21 and a strike rate of 94.43. He holds in his kitty 25 centuries while battling second and 21 of these have resulted in wins for India.
#4. Rahul Dravid
Scoring 860 runs in 22 matches at an average of 61.62, Rahul Dravid has represented Team India in three World Cups. Dravid finished as the leading run-getter in the tournament with 461 runs to his name despite still finding his feet in ODI cricket in the 1999 edition of the tournament. By the time the World Cup arrived in South Africa four years later in 2003, Dravid was one of the best batsmen in the world.
He contributed in several mature knocks in the lower middle-order and also provided solidity to the Indian batting line-up. He displayed his sense of sportsmanship when he took the wicket-keeping responsibility when the team management wanted to play an extra batsman in the playing XI.
This is considered a taboo topic in Indian cricket, but it would have been much more difficult to make those runs if Dravid would not have selflessly offered to wicket keeping. This unsung hero has always worked hard for his team and moved on with a modest smile. He surely deserves to be in the All-Time India World Cup XI.
#5. Yuvraj Singh
India’s one of the finest limited-overs cricketers, Yuvraj Singh made his debut in the iconic 2003 World Cup. At a young age, he displayed his abundance of talent.
Doing justice to his talent, his breakthrough came with the World Cup success 2011. Battling a deadly illness, playing with vigor and bringing the World Cup trophy home is not everyone’s cup of tea. He truly deserved his title of the Player of the tournament.
Apart from his sound batting, Yuvraj chipped in with the ball and helped the team to maintain the balance of the playing XI throughout the tournament.
Yuvraj has scored 738 runs in 23 matches at an average of 52.71. He has 20 wickets at the bowling average of 23.10.
He could not manage to make it to the 2019 Indian squad despite his impeccable IPL performance but his fans hope against hope to soon see his comeback in the international front. He has played three World Cups for India in 2003, 2007 and 2011 bringing the trophy home in his last performance.
#6. MS Dhoni
MS Dhoni had to face a disappointing World Cup campaign in 2007 when led the Indian team in the 10th edition of the tournament. He struggled throughout the tournament but didn’t let it come in the way of his performance. Batted at number 5 in the 2011 World Cup, Dhoni ensured to bring the trophy home by chasing a tough target in the final against Sri Lanka. He scored unbeatable 91 runs in the game. He also played a huge role in India’s World Cup campaign in 2015 where the team reached the semi-final.
His experience serves as guidance for the rookies in the team. His relationship with Kohli is compared with that of Chanakya and Chandragupta Maurya. Kohli might have taken over the limited-overs captaincy from Dhoni, he always looks upon Dhoni for guidance and support. Dhoni has always ensured his unprecedented support. He has 507 runs in 20 matches at an average of 42.25.
His qualities of being a great runner between the wickets and finishing the goals will help the Indian team in the 2019 World Cup. Also, he will be serving as a guide to skipper Kohli who respects him enough to take his suggestions.
He is respected not just in India but all around the globe. The great Adam Gilchrist has recorded Dhoni above himself.
#7. Kapil Dev
India’s All Time World Cup 11: This name is bound to be taken when it comes to the World Cup in India. The first ever trophy! He brought the trophy home; he made the dream of millions of Indians come true.
Famously known as the Haryana hurricane, he led the Indian team to an unexpected title victory in the World Cup 1983. Kapil also has a decent record of scoring 669 runs and picking up 28 wickets in 26 matches in the World Cup matches.
The former Indian skipper had scored 669 runs in 26 matches at the batting average of 37.16 and had 28 wickets at the bowling average of 31.85.
Kapil Dev turned the viewpoint of the world about Indian cricket in a positive light in a town of Guyana, known for sugarcane plantations. He now believes that a mix of youth and experience would favor India’s performance in the 12th edition of the World Cup to be held from May 30.
#8. Zaheer Khan
This left-arm bowler is one of India’s most successful bowlers in World Cup cricket. Everyone was spellbound with his pace of bowling in the 2003 World Cup. The reason he is considered one of the bests is because of his consistency in his bowling. He bettered his performance in the 2011 World Cup.
He finished the tournament as the joint highest wicket-taker with 21 wickets despite the unfavorable conditions in India for fast bowling.
He was instrumental in India’s title win in the World Cup 2011. At an average of 20.22, he picked 44 wickets in 23 matches.
#9. Ashish Nehra
He may have had to face several injuries which marred his international career. But his brilliant performance in the World Cup tournaments deserves to be put in this parameter. In 2003, Nehra used the swing-friendly conditions of South Africa to his advantage.
He holds the credit of the best bowling performance by an Indian at the World Cup with 6 for 23 against England. He had to miss the 2007 World Cup but he came back with a bang in India’s World Cup 2011 squad. Bowling some crucial spells for Team India throughout the course of the tournament, he holds the record of taking 18 wickets in 12 matches at an average of 22.72.
#10. Anil Kumble
India’s highest wicket-taker in ODIs, Kumble has proved his mettle in the World Cups. He has taken 31 wickets in 18 World Cup matches he has played for India.
Particularly impressive in the 1996 World Cup that was held in the subcontinent, Kumble was former captain Mohammad Azharuddin’s go-to bowler.
However, another famous bowler Harbhajan Singh was preferred over Kumble in the 2003 World Cup and 2007 World Cup, and the champion bowler hung up his boots in ODIs after the World Cup 2007.
The Indian bowler holds 31 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 22.83 in his kitty.
#11. Javagal Srinath
India’s All Time World Cup 11: India’s joint highest wicket-taker along with Zaheer Khan, Srinath is Kumble’s bowling partner. He started as a rookie fast bowler in the 1992 World Cup; Srinath soon led the Indian pace attack in the 1996, 1999 and 2003 World Cup.
Srinath earned a surprise comeback in the Indian team just before the World Cup 2003 and the right-arm pacer made some tremendous spells in South Africa. Srinath, in 34 matches has 44 wickets at an average of 27.81.
Also Check:-
