Who will be in the best ODI team of all time?

My team : 1. Adam Gilchrist 2. Sachin Tendulkar 3. Ricky Ponting 4. Brian Lara 5. Viv Richards 6. Lance Klusener 7. Michael Bevan 8. Muttiah Muralidharan 9. Wasim Akram 10. Glenn McGrath 11. Waqar Younis and an extra 12th is Allan Donald/Saqlain Mustaq

You said brutality and you have bevan, please. Dean jones was the best one day player in the world who brutalised the opposition not only with the bat but his running between the wickets and ridiculous throwing arm, enough said

1.gayle 2.gilchrist 3.tendulkar 4.sir viv 5.lara 6.sobers 7.afridi 8.imrahn 9.wasim akram 10.garner 11.lillee and that is on heck of a team to play . sobers played 1 ODI it seems whcih is plenty enough to get into my team! 12th man would be botham. his swahsbuckling antics and allround persona good enough to eclipse some more "talented" palyers. captain is Sir VIv. had to leave warne and murali out bec , if htere was a need for a spinner afridi, galye ,sobers , and viv cud mange to bamboozle anyone for a wee bit .. not that anyone wud score a great deal agianst lillee, and garner , then wasim and imrahn anyway. think this team wud win more than it lost.........

1 Sachin Tendulkar 2 Adam Gilchrist 3 Ricky Ponting 4 Viv Richards 5 Rahul Dravid 6 Michael Hussey 7 Kapil Dev 8 Imran Khan [c] 9 Wasim Akram 10 Saqlain Mushtaq 11 Joel Garner

Greg Chapel , Haynes , kapil dev , and me.

why Hussey was not preferred to Bevan in ICC's list? Can anybody explain?

... to re-produce the list from my earlier post, her it goes... So the final 12 – actually 17 (of my all-time great ODI players) 1) Sachin Tendulkar 2) Adam Gilchrist 3) Ricky Ponting 4) Vivian Richards 5) MS Dhoni 6) Lance Klusener 7) Freddy Flintoff Richard Hadlee / Wasim Akram 11) Glen McGrath / Allan Donald 9) Shane Warne / Saqlain Mustaq 10) Muthiah Muralitharan / Daniel Vettori 12) Darren Gough / Waqar Younis The main difference I see between my earlier list and the current ICC one is that they considered Gilchrist under WK, while I have considered him as opener-cum-keeper, which means sachin is the only other opener in my team. Second thing is I have 2 spinners, a wicket taking one and a containing/economical spinner. It would be very unwise to go with just 1 spinner in my opinion.

I gave my list almost 8 months ago, to commemorate the first double century in an ODI by Sachin http://www.theroar.com.au/2010/02/26/sachin-tendulkar-born-to-bat/ I have to say that all-rounders is a very tricky issue. Any current national team will die to have as many of those all-rounders as possible. But in an all time best XI, usually the best specialist is invariably preferred to the best All-rounder. I actually had a batting-allrounder, the kind who is an explosive finisher like Klusener, a bowling allrounder like Akram/Hadlee and a guy who is equally good at both slogging and bowling at death/powerplay like Filntoff.

In batting order ... 1. A. Gilchrist 2. S. Tendulkar 3. D. Jones 4. V. Richards 5. J. Kallis 6. S. Waugh (in his bowling days) (c) 7. M. Hussey 8. I. Khan 9. S. Warne 10. J. Garner 11. G. McGrath

Sorry, Lillee ahead of Akram, who would be 12th man

VIV (unconditionally the first picked) Cuthbert Gordon Greenidge Joel Garner, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne are absolutely undisputed musts. From the Back line: Greenidge, Gilchrist, IVA Richards, Javed Miandad, Lara, Lloyd, Imran. Akram, Hadlee, Warne, Garner. Yes the WIndies were that good!!!!!!!!!!!

I have put together a team that I think is the best - I have tried to avoid bias even though I am Australian and perhaps may have gone too far to avoid it Openers - Grenidge & Tendulkar Grenidge for me was awesome in his day and really dominated teams and consistently, Tendulkar has to be in the side and plays his best cricket opening in ODI. I also considered some others - Hayden - Really got close and only just missed out to Grenidge and it was a toss of the coin moment but while Hayden had a better strike rate I felt Grennidge faced better bowlers, Gilchrist I conbsidered because he changed the game for Wicketkeepers but he only averaged 35 and I can't have 2 keepers with Dhoni down the order, Glen Turner - Not enough games and not quick enough and Jayasuriya- Not enough runs consistently were on the next step wth Anwar. Sehwag doesent cut it in ODI against this company for mine his test cricket is much better and Ganguly couldn't better his teammate Tendulkar Middle Order - 3- Jones ,4 - Richards,5 - Dhoni , 6- Bevan How Jones isn't on the ICC list after he transformed ODI batting is beyond me - Running between wickets, accumulating, dashing he really changed the game and was an amazing fielder. RIchards - Goes without Asking any team without Viv would be ridiculous - Ave 47 and strike rate of 90 in the years when the ball was dominant as well as Captaining the all mighty WI team. Dhoni - gets my keeper spot over Gilchrist because he averages over 50 and that is batting at 3 and 4 as well as being Keeper and Captain - eve as an Aussie I respect a better player. 6 - Bevan - He was the worlds best ODI batsmen for a number of years could really bring a game home, create shots, quick singles , pressure performer and again an amazing fielder and runner between wickets While I gave some consideration to the likes of Crowe- Not in the same class, De Silva, Miandad and Lara - I just couldnt pick any of those 3 above RIchards or Jones given their impact on the game . Bevans only challenger as a finisher and pressure man was Mr Cricket Mike Hussey who has taken on the same role . Ul-Haq - No Chance SO my top 6 are done. On to the next 5 - The ICC picked 1 Spinner, 1 All Rounder and 3 Quicks - My list had 2 all rounders a batting and a bowling all rounder, a spinner and 2 quicks - this was because of the balance of the side the quality of the candidates and a little to do with the lack of batting in my 3 bowlers Batting All Rounder - Imran Khan Khan was a magnetic force in pakistan cricket and world cricket as well, he was an awesome bowler and batsmen and while I have listed him as a batting all rounder I see hm as good enough to hold his place with either one in most teams (perhaps not this one but most) and that is the key. An amazing cricketer and presence (I first saw him in the flesh when I was 6 or 7 in Brisbane leaving the back of the ground into a wiating limo - the coolest man alive). He beat out some worth contenders in FLintoff- Not at the same level but close, Klusener-Not the long term achievment and Kallis- Just not detructive enough for this side Bowling All Rounder - Richard Hadlee Hadlee could make this worlds best side as a Bowler and that what gave him the postion especially as I already had Khan as a bowling all rounder. The competition shows how hard this was though with the 3 closest probably being equal or just a little better with the bat but not quite in Sir Richards Class with the ball - Botham a level below with the ball and while a little more devestating with the bat he only managed an average of 23 so he needed more with the bat to make up for his bowling being a little below , Shaun Pollock - Was almost the equal of Hadlee as a bowler and perhaps slightly better as a batsmen - it was a whisker here and last but not least Kapil Dev - So devestating with the bat and so whily on dead indian pitches with the ball buT overall the ability of hadlee to bowl so well in a week team that he could make this side on bowling alone and then be able to average 20+ like other others with the bat in a team which again wasnt dominant scrapes him in by a Whisker from Kapil Dev Spinners - Saqlain Mushtaq This is probably my most controversial decision I'd say First why I excluded some players - starting with the ICC list - Kumble , Vettori and Singh- Great bowlers but an average over 30 excludes you from the worlds best ever team for mine, Afridi, Hooper - An embarrassment they made a wordls best ever spinners list I think we would all agree. This leaves 3 - Murali, Saqlain, Warne Warne - Ave - 25.63, Econ- 4.25 and Strike - 36.3 - too many runs , struggle a bit away from home in ODI and was following an amazing bowling line up making it often easier Murali -Ave - 23.11 Econ - 3.93, Strike - 35.3 - strike rate and ave just not as good although conservative batsmen who just wanted to last it out often helped. However an exceptional bowler who just missed out by a whisker and perhaps the whispers of throwing may cloud my thoughts Mustaq - Ave - 21.78, Econ - 4.29 Strike - 30.4- the best numbers fo all the spinners, he introduced the doosra, played in a pakistan team filled with controversy and yet was dominant and destructive with the ball , fastest ever to 100 wickets- I think in the ODI format he just shades the other 2 Fast Bowlers - McGrath and Garner Garner - Best average and Econ rate of any fast bowler in with a chance he was simply a step above any other bowling option and was the best of a West Indies side that terrorized batsmen for many years. 6ft 8in great bounce and the best yorker in international cricket and in the biggest match a world cup final 5/38 - No argument possible here The other spot was somewhat harder but Glenn McGrath won out - Almost 400 wickets, the ability to land the ball on a dime time and time again, surprising pace and bounce and just the ability to destroy a side over 14 years of international cricket still averaging under 20 over the last 3 years of his careerand at his best in big tournaments as he took Australia to 2 world cupsand average of under 20 and strike rate of only 27 in 40 World Cup Games Their were a lot of other great contenders - the agressive Dennis Lillee who launched Australia's bowling, Shane Bond - Injury prone but incredibly brilliant and probably only the injuries that stopped him becoming a great, Akram - Probably the next best in the fast bowler and bowling all rounder category with amazing left handed bowling , Allan DOnald _ White Lightning, Younis - Who had the only yorker to challenge Garner and Micheal Holding but all of them just missed out to McGrath mentronomic performances and the amazing Garner - possibly the best bowler ever So their we are - What does everyone think - A side that the ICC competition wouldn't accept with no Jones nominated and the wrong mixture but to me the best side ever for ODI

To be honest, a best ever Aussie ODI team would give the best ever world team a run for their money 1. Gilchrist 2. Hayden 3. Ponting 4. Jones 5. MWaugh (could also open) 6. Bevan 7. Watson - we do struggle a bit for an all-rounder but he's pretty damn good these days. Steve Waugh's bowling is only good enough to be a 6th bowler, not a 5th. 8. Warne 9. One more quick here with no real standouts. The rest of the team (except possibly the all rounder) picked itself. Brett Lee I should think is the next best, though wouldn't you love having Taity and Thommo together at full cry? 10. Lillee 11. McGrath Not even a place for SWaugh or MHussey! How strong is that? Or else MWaugh opens and you leave Haydos out, and bring in SWaugh or MHussey at 5. Could you have both Hussey and Bevan in the same side? They carried out a similar role.

It's annoying, I went to the ICC website to vote and I couldn't vote for the side I chose above. For example, Gilchrist was an opener, but you can't select him as an opener. You can only choose one spinner too! I went with: 1. Tendulkar 2. Hayden 3. Ponting 4. Richards 5. Bevan 6. Klusener (I felt bad leaving Imran Kahn out) 7. Gilchrist 8. Wasim Akram 9. Shane Warne 10. Dennis Lillee (the best fast bowler ever, but maybe I should have gone for Alan Donald) 11. Joel Garner Still a good side. I felt a bit bad picking six Aussies, but I guess you don't win four World Cups without being a good side. It's a crying shame Dean Jones wasn't shortlisted for this side.

Hayden over Gilchrist? I remember a few years ago Gilchrist was voted Australia's best one-day player ever. Personally I didn't agree with that, but he was such a great opener. The Australians I see as contenders are: Dean Jones - He wrote the manual on one-day cricket. Michael Bevan - Had an amazing ability to time his innings, pace himself, read the game, sneak in singles, bat with tail-enders. If you wanted to win a one-day game from a tight situation, then he's your man. Mark Waugh - It's incredibly sad how people forget what an amazing ODI player he was from 1995-1996. He was something else. Adam Gilchrist - When he scored ODI centuries, Australia never lost. Glenn McGrath - For his accuracy, especially at the death. Shane Warne - The best cricketer I've ever seen. It's hard to pick an all-time ODI side, but I'd go with 1. Sachin Tendulkar - The best batsman, test and ODI, that I've ever seen. 2. Adam Gilchrist - As noted above. 3. Dean Jones - I remember a famous game against New Zealand where Australia had a huge amount of runs to make, few wickets remaining, and it was just Dean Jones batting. He pulled out the most inventive, amazing strokes ever, and got Australia to the point where they needed two runs to win with more balls remaining. Bloody Mike Whitney went for a stupid shot and got out. Dean Jones was a ODI cult hero, and people forget that. I'd take him over Ponting anyday. 4. Sir IVA Richards - Nough said. 5. Mark Waugh 6. Lance Klusener - The guy scared the life out of me during the 1999 World Cup. He was amazing. 7. Michael Bevan For his fielding, which was Ponting like. For his batting, which saved games. 8. Wasim Akram - Maybe the best ODI bowler ever. He was even better in ODI's than he was in Tests. 9. Shane Warne - A champion who played his best when it counted. People forget some famous ODI performances from Warnie. There was the 1995 World Cup semi-final against the West Indies, which the WI should have won, but for Warnie. The 1999 Semi-Final was his all-time best ever performance, and he backed that up in the 1999 Final. I remember in the mid 90s you couldn't watch an Aussie ODI without Warne getting MOTM. 10. Joel Garner - He can send down those amazing yorkers at the end of each innings. 11. Muttiah Muralitharan - It's tough to rate Murali in ODI's. I saw so many ODI's where teams didn't try to score off him because they didn't need to. Sri Lanka weren't always a strong side, and when they didn't make a big score, teams backed off Murali. Why risk losing your wicket by trying to score runs? Just block him out. That said, he was incredible at the death for a spinner - just amazing.

Agree TSO, this seems to be a very Aussie centric line-up. I don't think our dominance over just the last 10 years merits 6 out of 11 spots, with only 1 player from the sub-continent. I do think Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist pick themselves though. I have tended to slightly favour performances in World Cups, as the real stars shine when it really matters IMO. My team would be: Jayasuriya, look no further than the 96 World Cup for reasons for his inclusion. Like Warnie, a revolutionary player who along with Kaluwitharana paved the way for the Gilchrist's and Sehwag's. Still holds the record for fastest 50 and 150 in this format. Plus a rather useful left-arm spinner. Tendulkar, his records speak for themselves. Viv Richards (C), one the five cricketers of the century, enough said. Martin Crowe, because the kiwis deserve someone in there, and was instrumental in there run to the semis in 92. Michael Bevan, no could engineer a fightback with the tail like he could, and he did it repeatedly, including two crucial rescues against England and NZ in the 2003 WC and who could ever forget that last ball four to win against the Windies? Kapil Dev (VC) - I will admit this was far and away the hardest position to decide. Dev shades Botham and Imran for his exploits as captain in 83 in stopping the all conquering Windies team. Kallis' record is impressive but he never struck me as a match-winner that could 'take the game away' by dominating the opposition with either bat or ball, where as both Botham and Dev did it with both bat and/or ball. Hadlee is unlucky as he is probably the best bowler of the group but his batting lets him down. Khan was a great bowler who's bowling dropped off with age as his batting picked up. Flintoff? In this company? You're havin' a laugh... Gilly, wicketkeepers can no longer just be 'good behind the stumps' because of this man. Fast bowlers are McGrath, Holding and Akram. Holding gets the nod for sheer speed and terror. Wasim, for his unparralled ability to bowl at the death with the old ball, plus some useful power hitting down the order. Warne. Murali a tad unlucky but Warnie was also a useful bat and and a reliable slipper. Just realised that there are no really outstanding fielders in that lineup, maybe Punter to edge Crowe out so there is someone to prowl around the cover-point region effecting a few runouts??

Waqar basically invented the reverse in-swining yorker - at high speed. Akram delivered some of the best swing bowling spells I have ever seen in one-dayers. Control and speed. McGrath wasn't always a great one-day bowler - there were games where he looked pedestrian. The spinner's a tough one. Warnie did get hit around occasionally, but he was such a huge wicket-taking threat. Saqlain was fantastic. Afridi can be a brilliant wicket-taking bowler. The only obvious one for me is Gilly as keeper. But I'd probably open with him - and Sehwag. Tendulkar at 3. I don't know I'd pick Kallis - I don't rate his one-day batting as highly. Lara and Ponting were great one-day batsmen. Hard to keep Viv out too. My 12 would be something like this : Gilchrist Sehwag Tendulkar Richards Ponting Lara Afridi Akram Warne Waqar Garner 12th - Klusener Aust 3, Pak 3, WInd 3, India 2, SA 1, Eng, SL, NZ all 0. Only 2 Poms made the top 48!

I have gone for out and out brutality Sehwag Jayasuriya Viv Lara Bevan Klusener Gilchrist Akram McGrath Donald Warne

No Viv Richards?? What a laugh. He is the first name on anyone's list. Anyway this is the short list of players who made it from the ICC, Opening batsmen (two to be selected) - Saeed Anwar, Sourav Ganguly, Gordon Greenidge, Matthew Hayden, Sanath Jayasuriya, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Glenn Turner. Middle-order batsmen (three to be selected) - Michael Bevan, Martin Crowe, Aravinda de Silva, Inzamam-ul Haq, Brian Lara, Javed Miandad, Ricky Ponting, Viv Richards. All-rounder (only one to be selected) - Ian Botham, Kapil Dev, Andrew Flintoff, Richard Hadlee, Jacques Kallis, Imran Khan, Lance Klusener, Shaun Pollock. Wicketkeeper (only one to be selected) - Mark Boucher, MS Dhoni, Andy Flower, Adam Gilchrist, Romesh Kaluwitharana, Moin Khan, Alec Stewart, Kumar Sangakkara. Fast bowlers (three to be selected) - Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Joel Garner, Michael Holding, Dennis Lillee, Glenn McGrath, Chaminda Vaas, Waqar Younis. Spinners (only one to be selected) - Shahid Afridi, Carl Hooper, Anil Kumble, Muttiah Muralitharan, Saqlain Mushtaq, Harbhajan Singh, Shane Warne, Daniel Vettori.

The reason why NZ's Martin Crowe is in my best ODI team is not just because of the way he performed in the 1992 World Cup, but also if something happened to Allan Border would also be acting captain. And it was as captain of NZ in that Cup that his tactics came into play. When Australia came out to bat in the opening match of the '92 World Cup, they expected to see the usual 'two fast bowlers open innings' procedure. Not so, according to Crowe. One of the opening bowlers was spinner Dipak Patel, which caught the Australians off-guard. Australia never recovered from that loss and missed out on the semi finals, while NZ made the semis but lost to eventual cup winners Pakistan.