Former cricket players Anil Kumble and Matthew Hayden selected their best XI of the group stage ahead of the current ODI World Cup semi-finals. The Indian team was the first to qualify for the semi-finals, ahead of South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, thanks to their perfect record and nine victories. The Men in Blue will next play the Kane Williamson-led team at Wankhede Stadium on November 15. Australia and South Africa will play at the renowned Eden Gardens the following day.
Quinton de Kock and India captain Rohit Sharma were chosen by Kumble and Matthew Hayden for the opening position, respectively.
The Proteas hitter, who has 593 runs and is presently the second-leading run scorer in the competition, and Rohit, who has 503 runs after nine matches, have both been amazing.
“The player that has stood out to me is QDK. For obvious reasons, Rohit Sharma Matthew Hayden told ESPNcricinfo, “Those two inside the powerplay have been dynamic.”
They chose Virat Kohli at number three and Rachin Ravindra at number four. With 594 runs under his belt, former captain Virat is presently the best scorer in the ODI World Cup. He has excelled and set numerous records during the competition. Conversely, Rachin has been a huge asset to the Black Caps following a season in which he had a breakthrough performance at bat.
“He is this World Cup’s breakout young talent, without a doubt. Whether he is ranked number three or number four, I’m positive that I would choose Rachin Ravindra. You can position him anywhere you like. He has been batting at 1, 2, 3, and 4. Definitely Virat Kohli. He does indeed have India’s third batter. Rachin Ravindra bats no. 4 if he bats no. 3, then We can employ the right-left combo if Ravindra bats number three. Making a decision in a World Cup is extremely tough, as Kumble highlighted.
Heinrich Klaasen was ranked sixth by Kumble and Hayden, while Glenn Maxwell was ranked fifth. Notably, Maxwell made history by hitting 201* runs to win the match from an impossibly low position against Afghanistan. In the meantime, Heinrich Klaasen had a fantastic start to the competition but has since lost his edge. Still, he is competent enough to be included on the list.
Regarding the weaker players on the roster, Kumble and Hayden selected Adam Zampa, Marco Jansen, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, and Ravindra Jadeja, respectively. With 22 wickets in the tournament, Zampa is presently leading the wicket-taker, while Shami has been a revelation since breaking into the playing XI.
Kumble and Hayden’s World Cup XI: Quinton de Kock, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Maxwell, Heinrich Klaasen, Ravindra Jadeja, Marco Jansen, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Adam Zampa
India
