Kolkata: I have been entrusted with the unenviable but an exciting and challenging task of selecting an all time T-20 eleven from the time this whole and great saw the first light of the day.
Phew! The mere thought has me profusely sweating even when ensconced in a chilled AC room. Leave aside poor me, even for the most erudite and avid cricket lovers the job will be too tough, tiring and demanding. And I will make an honest confession: this job is simply beyond me. I will be like the little boy. Lonely and lost in the woods.To keep it within manageable proportions.
I have decided to take into account only those players who have participated in the game after the Second World War. At last some relief. A whiff of oxygen in a gas chamber. I will be the first to admit that some of these players, leave alone playing T-20 cricket have not even seen or could have visualized about the shortest format of the game. Sacrilege! They must be uttering under their breath.
The parameters for inclusion in the all time T-20 eleven will be their skill, their adaptability and their expertise in playing in any kind of climes and conditions against any type of bowling be it seam, swing, speed or spin.
The players selected will have to be like Caesar’s wife, above all doubts and suspicion, no question marks against them.
The pitch in wicket, like the surface in tennis, plays an important role in determining a player’s success or failure. Since T-20 cricket had been conceived, developed and designed to cater to the demands of the spectators, who loves to witness balls flying out of the grounds rather the stumps cart-wheeling. The pitch will be flat and true, full of runs; call it a better or featherbed, whatever you may.
So here I go. Wish me luck. I need it. And badly too. My openers, I hope, will not raise too many eye brows.
Sachin Tendulkar along with Australian Adam Gilchrist will be opening the innings .
Sir Don Bradman: If the game is cricket , in whatever form or format it may be ,Bradman, the greatest batsman of all time cannot be left out. So the nay Sayers may I point out a fact of Bradman. He scored a triple hundred in a day. If this is not good enough for the doubting thomasses then permit me to cite another one. Bradman in a second class match scored 102 in mere 24 balls which gives him an incredible strike rate of 425 that like his test average of 99.94 will forever remain unrivalled.
Number 4 will see king Richards striding in. No explanation needed.
Number 5 is Gary Sobers , the greatest cricketer that ever bestrode the cricket world. Periods.
Number 6 is Keith Muller. Keith Miller was a member of Bradman’s “Invincibles”. This is enough to earn him a place in this T-20 XI. Gary Sobers came on the scene he was rated th best all-rounder in the world. A fiery fast bowler, who could bowl offspinner if needed and an aggressive batsman. If you saw Imran Khan suddenly going in hiding the bat assured that Miller was somewhere around. Cricket has seen many handsome players but none more handsome.
Number 7 is Imran Khan, the most charismatic foreseen, but if necessary in case of a batting collapse he will steady the ship.
Number 8- Wasim Akram the most complete fast bowler if ever there was one.
Number 9 – Shane Warne is my automatic choice as he brings in a lot of variety with his leg spin.
Number 10- Joel Garner. With his abnormal; bounce and toe crushing Yorker , he is , without an iota of doubt. The best one day bowler.
Number 11- Muttiah Muralitharan. The off spinner with the maximum variations.
Thus my XI is : 1) Sachin Tendulkar, 2) Adam Gilchrist, 3) Don Bradman, 4) Viv Richards, 5) Gary Sobers, 6) Keith Miller, 7) Imran Khan, 8) Wasim Akram, 9) Shane Warne, 10) Joel Garner. 11) Muttiah Muralitharan.
N:B – The team is entirely picked from a list of players that are not participating in the ensuing World T20.