Since the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup, England has undoubtedly been the best ODI outfit in world cricket.
With an ultra-aggressive approach to batting and a decent bowling attack, England’s positive style of cricket has worked wonders for them after years of mediocrity in the 50-over format.
Opening the batting, I’ve gone ahead with Jonny Bairstow and Kevin Pietersen. Apart from AB De Villiers, Shreyas Iyer and Nicholas Pooran, Jonny Bairstow remains one of four ODI cricketers to average over 47 and have a career strike rate of over 100. His power game at the top of the order has been instrumental toward’s England’s success over the past few years.
A talented sportsman from a young age (including a trial with Leeds United), Bairstow gave up football for cricket, and it paid dividends for him and England. He’s one of the very few English cricketers who can play pace and spin adequately and fearlessly.
Pietersen was ahead of his time regarding England’s one-day outfit. While his counterparts had relatively low strike rates, KP was just a genuine match-winner who would take the game away from the opposition in a few overs. An aggressive batsman who liked to dominate the opponent, KP certainly was a fan favourite among the cricketing public.
My two players who will play the anchor role are Joe Root and Eoin Morgan. The two players who played a crucial part in England’s road to World Cup success, there was no question regarding their selections. The duo are in the top two English ODI run-scorers and have both played their role brilliantly.
For captaining England to the 2019 ICC World Cup and transforming English limited-overs cricket, Eoin Morgan is the captain of this XI.
At number five is my batting all-rounder. You guessed it, it’s Ben Stokes. Phenomenal cricketer. His ability to adapt to the situation and deliver consistently makes him the best all-rounder in world cricket (even though I hate to admit it).
A man who doesn’t shy away from pressure, Stokes is arguably the best cricketer Durham has produced. Since his ODI economy with the ball is expensive, I was forced to include another all-rounder to ensure I had six genuine bowling options.
My wicketkeeper is none other than Jos Buttler. He’s just a freakish talent. Leaving Somerset for Lancashire at the end of 2013, Buttler’s white-ball career went on the up as he churned out the runs consistently for Lancashire and England in the middle-order.
The best white-ball player to ever play ODI cricket for England, Buttler is the x-factor many teams crave for in limited-overs cricket.
At number seven is another all-rounder in Andrew Flintoff. Had it not been for Stoke’s heroics in the past few years, Flintoff would be England’s best ODI all-rounder. His numbers are excellent for a lower-order batsman and took 169 ODI scalps at 24.38 with the ball. Alongside his great ODI numbers, Flintoff is possibly the funniest Pom of all time.
My new ball bowler is Chris Woakes. One of the finest bowlers to come out from the Warwickshire system, Woakes has been a highly underrated bowler in ODI cricket. With the ability to swing it both ways and possessing handy variations for the death overs, Woakes has been a highly successful bowler for England in ODI cricket.
With a batting average of 25.02 with four half-centuries, Woakes is no mug with the bat and a very handy number eight.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
At number nine comes Liam Plunkett. Bowling at high 130s to low 140s, Plunkett was an unsung hero in England’s World Cup success. Whenever he was given the ball in the middle overs, Plunkett delivered by taking wickets in critical stages. Even in the World Cup final, Plunkett took three wickets yet didn’t get the plaudits he deserved by the cricketing world.
One memory that strikes to my mind whenever Plunkett gets mentioned is him smashing a last-ball six against Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge in 2016 to secure a thrilling tie.
My frontline spinner in the XI goes to Adil Rashid. Taking the most ODI wickets by an English spinner, Rashid has been nothing short of phenomenal for England in ODI cricket. And my other new ball partner alongside Woakes is Darren Gough.
Bloke was a tough cricketer and became the first Englishman to take 200 ODI wickets in September 2004.
How the English XI stacks up in the end:
1. Jonny Bairstow
2. Kevin Pietersen
3. Joe Root
4. Eoin Morgan (captain)
5. Ben Stokes
6. Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper)
7. Andrew Flintoff
8. Chris Woakes
9. Liam Plunkett
10. Adil Rashid
11. Darren Gough
AREH
Roar Guru
A sign of incredible strength that Roy misses out. Can you imagine if that top seven had the chance to actually play together...wow!
Jon Richardson
Roar Pro
Roy has the fourth highest ODI batting average of all time for England (behind Trott, Root and Bairstow) and only two batsmen in the top 100 ODI all-time aggregates/averages have a higher run rate - Buttler and Imad Wasim, both of whom bat at 7 or 6. So might be hard to leave him out? Pretty impressive run at the World Cup - only 17 in the final, but scored over 50 in 5 of his 6 other innings, including against Australia, NZ, India and SA.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Jeez it says a lot about England's woeful pre-2016 sides that only three of these players aren't in their current squad. Although conversely, you could say that not many of Australia's current players would make their best ODI XI of this century.
Patrick
Roar Pro
I'd probably take Roy over Pietersen. Pietersen barely opened, and Roy has been fantastic in recent years. I can't fault number 3-7, but would probably take Plunkett out for a second spinner (You already have Flintoff, Gough, Woakes, and Stokes). As England's leading ODI wicket-taker, Jimmy Anderson would surely be in contention too. I like teams that bat deep, so it's probably Gough rather than Woakes who makes way. 1. Bairstow 2. Roy 3. Root 4. Morgan c 5. Stokes 6. Buttler wk 7. Flintoff 8. Woakes 9. Rashid 10. Swann 11. Anderson
Paul
Roar Guru
Is Pietersen really one of Englands best ODI openers? He only batted at the top of the order a handful of times and did okay, but nothing really outstanding. I'm also thinking this is a good but not great side? Or maybe that's a bit of Friday Aussie bias coming out. :happy:
Brian
Guest
Or get rid of Woakes and throw in Collingwood who can bat around the more powerful hitters and give you the 6th bowling option. Bairstow, Pieterson, Root, Collingwood, Morgan, Stokes, Buttler, Flintoff, Plunkett, Rashid, Anderson
Adam
Guest
I wonder whether on some wickets, replacing Freddie with Moen Ali is worth a thought
Nick
Roar Guru
This is a pretty good team. I'd like to find a slot for Paul Collingwood, but it's hard to see who he could displace. Unlucky 12th man.
Samuel Laffy
Roar Guru
I'd get rid of Plunkett (you've then got Flintoff at 8 who's a better bowler than Plunkett in his prime, with Stokes as 6th bowler), drop KP down the order and open up with Jason Roy. Then in about two years time replace Woakes with Jofra.