Subramaniam Badrinath reveals his all-time India-Australia ODI XI, no place for Virender Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist

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Former India cricketer and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star Subramaniam Badrinath has revealed his dream combined India-Australia all-time ODI XI ahead of the second ODI between the two teams in Adelaide. The veteran announced his picks on Instagram, featuring some of the biggest names from both nations who have dominated the 50-over format for decades.

Badrinath went with a classic Indian opening pair – Rohit Sharma and Sachin Tendulkar. Both are among the most prolific batters in the history of ODI cricket.

Tendulkar, regarded as the ‘God of Cricket’, remains the leading run-scorer in ODIs with 18,426 runs, including 49 centuries.

Rohit, often dubbed the ‘Hitman’, has already smashed 11,176 runs with 32 centuries, including three double hundreds — a record unmatched in ODI history.

The pair’s blend of elegance and explosiveness makes them a natural fit at the top of Badrinath’s lineup.

At No. 3 and No. 4, Badrinath picked two of the most consistent and aggressive batters in world cricket — Ricky Ponting and Virat Kohli.

Ponting, Australia’s two-time World Cup-winning captain, amassed 13,704 runs and is fourth on the all-time list of ODI run-scorers.

Kohli, known for his unmatched chase-master skills, has 14,181 runs and a record 51 ODI centuries, surpassing Tendulkar’s milestone.

This combination forms a rock-solid middle order that could adapt to any match situation.

To strengthen the all-round department, Badrinath opted for Andrew Symonds and Kapil Dev. Symonds was known for his dynamic hitting and agile fielding, often changing the course of matches single-handedly. Kapil, India’s 1983 World Cup-winning captain, not only led from the front with the ball but also scored more than 5,000 ODI runs. Between them, they bring balance, aggression, and leadership to the side.

No surprises at No. 6 — MS Dhoni takes the gloves and captaincy role. Dhoni, who guided India to the 2011 World Cup title, scored over 10,000 ODI runs, primarily from the middle order. His calm demeanour and sharp cricketing brain make him an automatic choice as captain in Badrinath’s XI.

In the bowling department, Badrinath selected one spinner and three pacers. Shane Warne, with 293 ODI wickets, leads the spin attack. The pace battery includes Glenn McGrath (381 wickets), Brett Lee (380 wickets), and India’s spearhead Jasprit Bumrah (149 wickets). Together, this quartet combines skill, pace, and accuracy — a dream attack capable of dismantling any batting lineup.

Also READ: Pat Cummins picks his all-time India-Australia ODI XI ahead of AUS vs IND series

Interestingly, Badrinath chose to leave out two iconic openers — Virender Sehwag and Adam Gilchrist. Both were known for their fearless stroke play and ability to dominate bowlers from the very first ball. Sehwag amassed 8,273 runs in 251 ODIs, including 15 centuries and a memorable double hundred. Meanwhile, Gilchrist came close to the 10,000-run milestone, finishing with 9,619 runs in 287 ODIs, decorated with 16 centuries and 55 half-centuries.

Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Virat Kohli, Andrew Symonds, MS Dhoni (c), Kapil Dev, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Jasprit Bumrah

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