No Sachin Tendulkar! AB de Villiers stuns fans with his all-time World XI

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Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers recently unveiled his all-time World XI without the inclusion of Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar. De Villiers, who is currently captaining the South Africa Champions side in the ongoing World Championship of Legends (WCL) 2025, made the revelation in a video shared by presenter Shefali Bagga on Instagram on Wednesday, July 23.

The 41-year-old Proteas icon picked a formidable XI that features players from across generations. His opening pair includes South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Australia’s Matthew Hayden, both known for their dominance at the top of the order. At No. 3 is Ricky Ponting, followed by modern-day great and Indian stalwart Virat Kohli at No. 4.

Steve Smith and Kane Williamson, widely regarded as modern-day Test batting greats, take the No. 5 and No. 6 positions, respectively. Wicketkeeper duties go to former India captain MS Dhoni, placed at No. 7 in the lineup.

For the bowling department, De Villiers went with an aggressive combination of pace and spin. He named Mitchell Johnson and Mohammad Asif as his frontline fast bowlers, while the spin duo includes Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan and the late Shane Warne. Glenn McGrath, one of the most accurate pacers in cricket history, was named as the 12th man.

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What caught most fans off guard was the exclusion of Tendulkar. Often considered a default pick in any all-time XI, Tendulkar’s absence drew a mixed reaction from fans online. While De Villiers’ team is undoubtedly packed with quality and balance, omitting the man known as the ‘God of Cricket’ has sparked plenty of debate.

AB de Villiers’ all-time World XI: Graeme Smith, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, MS Dhoni (wk), Mitchell Johnson, Mohammad Asif, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne. 12th man: Glenn McGrath.

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