India’s all-time ODI World Cup XI 

India has previously won the ODI World Cup twice, in 1983 and 2011. In ODI cricket, many players have donned the Indian uniform, but only 30 have had the good fortune to kiss the World Cup since 1975. We made a sincere effort to select India’s best ODI XI in the World Cups from among all of these outstanding players.

Since the first ODI match was played on January 5, 1971, the game of cricket has swiftly evolved, making it challenging to compare players from different generations. Although filtering the best XI playing in Indian cricket history is a difficult process.

1. Top order

Virendra Sehwag was the greatest batter to start the innings on any given day and will be one of India’s most destructive players since he can annihilate the bowlers in the powerplay. Throughout the early years of this century, he became one of the real drivers of the team’s success. The third-highest individual score in ODI history is still his 219 innings against the West Indies from the 2011 World Cup. 

One of the most lethal hitters of the current era has emerged in the likes of Rohit Sharma. He can turn his century into enormous scores and times the ball with such ease. He was the first and only batsman to score five hundreds in a single round of the World Cup, the accomplishment he achieved in 2019. He and Sehwag at the top give the top order a strong, brutal appearance.

In a career spanning more than two decades, The Master Blaster, Sachin Tendulkar set and destroyed a number of cricketing records. He finished with about 4,000 more runs than Kumar Sangakkara, who was in second position. He also scored the most hundreds and fifty runs (145) in ODI cricket. Tendulkar was a pioneer for the Indian team who took part in five editions of the World Cup, reaching the finals twice and winning it on his last appearance in the tournament in 2011 in front of the home crowd. 

2. Middle order

The 2011 World Cup champion has the strongest average in ODI cricket right now and he also upheld strong standards for team conditioning. He is an excellent fielder, and it’s fun to watch his amazing catches in action. As the former captain of the Indian team and the most reliable member of the squad, this choice was also made automatically. His statistics support the claim that he is Sachin’s genuine heir. Because of his relentless desire to score as many runs as possible, the run machine has been known as the King of Cricket. 

One of India’s best limited-overs cricketers and man of the tournament in 2011 was Yuvraj Singh. He contributed significantly to India’s 2011 World Cup victory, taking 15 wickets and scoring 362 runs. He could clear any ground in the world and was a clean striker of the ball. Singh was also a capable left-arm spin bowler who frequently had game-changing bowling performances when his side most needed it. 

3. All-rounders and Wicketkeeper

The wicketkeeper, who was renowned for taking games deep and ending contests with a six, was also one of the smartest captains, guiding India to victories in the 2011 World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy victory. He finished his career with a total of 444 ODI dismissals, which is the third-best number among all Indian wicket keepers. He is the captain of this side and there is hardly anyone who would be doubting this decision.

Kapil Dev was the one who encouraged young people to pursue the sport when he played with vision and determination to assist India defeat the powerful West Indies squad in the 1983 World Cup final. Even if Kapil’s career came to an end with just one hundred, there is still much to be said about it. In a vital World Cup match against Zimbabwe, the team was down and out at 17-5 when he strolled out to steady the ship. He then went all out for a 138-ball 175*, which was packed with six sixes. 

Ravindra Jadeja was characterized as a “bits and pieces” player prior to the 2019 World Cup, yet he performed at his peak when his team most needed him. His best score of 77 from 59 balls will be appreciated even if India lost that match. The addition of this left-arm orthodox spinner will add variety to the lineup because of his three-dimensional style and capacity to influence the result of the game. He is on the list because of his capacity to perform under extraordinary circumstances.

4. Bowlers

The career of Harbhajan Singh, the second-highest wicket-taker amongst Indian spinners, can be separated into two distinct periods. Bhajji made his bowling debut in 1997 and maintained a 28.75 average up to the end of 2003, when it rose to 36.25. He was, however, a force to be reckoned with when he was at his best, and what distinguished him was his refusal to back down from a struggle. The team benefited greatly from his leadership as they won the 2011 World Cup in India.

Zaheer Khan, the left-arm seamer who was frequently compared to Sachin of India’s bowling unit, is capable of destroying the batter on any pitch in the globe with his reverse swing. He was even the tournament’s greatest wicket-taker with 21 dismissals, leading the pace attack for the Indian team that won the World Cup in 2011. He emerged as one of the finest bowlers to play for India, despite the fact that his heroics in team victories went unnoticed. 

Only Srinath, one of just 13 quick bowlers worldwide with more over 300 ODI wickets, is an Indian quick. The squad could always count on him to provide them with crucial breakthroughs, as evidenced by his bowling strike rate of 37.8. Srinath played a significant role for India in many World Cups, but he was unable to bring home the trophy during his playing career.