Virat Kohli does not need us, we need him: Bumrah
Bumrah, however, stressed that Kohli knows his cricket better than anyone else and that his experience of batting in these challenging conditions was essential from the team’s perspective.
Charismatic former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was on Wednesday picked as captain of ESPNCricinfo’s ODI and Twenty20 teams of the decade, while Virat Kohli was named the leader in Tests.
The criteria, set by the 23-member panel, for selection was a minimum of 50 Tests or six active years in the traditional format while it was 75 ODIs and 100 T20s for the limited-overs teams.
Off-spinner R Ashwin, sidelined since the rise of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal, were the only other Indians to make the Test XI, which also featured England’s Alastair Cook and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson.
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Kohli scored 7202 runs in this period at an impressive average of 54.97 while Ashwin took 362 wickets at 25.36.
While Kohli was the lone Indian to feature in teams across formats, his deputy Rohit Sharma (7991 runs) was also named in the ODI XI.
Jasprit Bumrah found a place, alongside Kohli and Dhoni in the T20 XI, dominated by Caribbean players.
As many as five West Indies players were named in the team, including ‘Universe boss’ Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell.
Former skipper Mithali Raj and fast bowler Jhulan Goswami were named in the same women’s team picked for both the ODIs and T20s.
Australia’s inspirational cricketer, Meg Lanning was named the captain of the side.
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