Former India batter Robin Uthappa has sparked debate among cricket fans after unveiling his all-time India ODI XI, with veteran opener Rohit Sharma missing from the star-studded lineup despite being India’s third-highest run-scorer in One-Day Internationals. As part of a “This or That” challenge on Instagram, Uthappa selected legendary duo Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly as his opening pair.
Sachin Tendulkar remains the highest run-scorer in ODI history with 18,426 runs, while Ganguly, who was recently inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame, accumulated 11,221 runs in 308 matches for India. Virat Kohli retained the crucial No. 3 spot. The batting great is India’s second-highest ODI run-getter and holds the record for the most centuries in the format with 54.
Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni completed the middle order, with Uthappa naming Dhoni as captain in recognition of his leadership during India’s triumphant 2011 ODI World Cup campaign. Suresh Raina was picked at No. 6, while legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev earned the seam-bowling all-rounder’s role ahead of current star Hardik Pandya.
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In the bowling attack, Ravindra Jadeja was preferred over Ravichandran Ashwin as the spin-bowling all-rounder, while Anil Kumble edged out Harbhajan Singh as the specialist spinner. Pace legends Zaheer Khan and Jasprit Bumrah completed Uthappa’s formidable XI.
Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma continues to enjoy the backing of the Indian team management despite renewed speculation surrounding his ODI future. According to reports, head coach Gautam Gambhir has encouraged the veteran opener to continue playing his natural attacking brand of cricket without worrying about his long-term place in the squad ahead of the 2027 ODI World Cup.
The report surfaced after Rohit scored 11 runs in the opening ODI against England, with the management reportedly keen to keep the skipper free from unnecessary pressure and focused on expressing himself at the crease.
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Robin Uthappa’s All-Time India ODI XI: Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (captain), Suresh Raina, Kapil Dev, Ravindra Jadeja, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan and Jasprit Bumrah.
