India’s all-time greatest World Cup squad

With the World Cup just around the corner, we decided to pick a 15-member squad comprising India’s finest performers in the tournament over the years. Scroll down to find out who all made the cut.

1. Sourav Ganguly

The iron-willed left-hander was arguably the strongest captain India had since the great MAK Pataudi. King of the off-side and a headache to every off-spinner in the world, Dada is a natural choice to open the batting for India.

WC record

Matches: 21
Runs: 1006
Wickets: 10

2. Virender Sehwag

The modern game has seen few players like Virender Sehwag. His free-flowing ways were precisely what instilled fear in the opposition and gave India several flying starts in World Cup matches.

WC record

Matches: 22
Runs: 843
Wickets: 4

3. Rahul Dravid

Often overshadowed by his flashier teammates in the shorter format, The Wall has nevertheless been a consistent performer for India throughout his ODI career. Did you know for instance that Dravid was the highest run-scorer of the 1999 World Cup?

WC record

Matches: 22
Runs: 843
Wickets: 0

4. Sachin Tendulkar

Explaining this selection would be an insult to the great man, so let’s not go there.

WC record

Matches: 45
Runs: 2278
Wickets: 8

5. Yuvraj Singh

If it wasn’t for Yuvraj Singh, we wouldn’t have won the 2011 World Cup. Do we need to say more?

WC record

Matches: 23
Runs: 738
Wickets: 20

6. MS Dhoni

The man who hit the most famous six in India’s cricketing history was one of the most cool-headed leaders in World Cup history. His faith in his players, his bowling changes and ability to go against the current was instrumental in India’s victorious campaign in 2011.

WC record

Matches: 12
Runs: 270
Wickets: 0

7. Mohinder Amarnath

In some ways, Jimmy was the Yuvraj Singh of the 1983 World Cup. His Man-of-the-Match displays in the semi-final and the final essentially helped India win the trophy.

WC record

Matches: 14
Runs: 254
Wickets: 16

8. Kapil Dev

How can you select India’s best XI without their inspirational former captain himself? Kapil’s all-round performances in 1983 lifted the entire team and added the much needed grit and steel to the unit against their mighty opponents. And of course, who can forget that outstanding catch in the final to dismiss the great Viv Richards, which virtually turned the game around?

WC record

Matches: 26
Runs: 669
Wickets: 28

9. Anil Kumble

India’s greatest leg-spinner was for a long time their go-to man in crisis situations. A provider of key wickets and often the man to churn out tight spells in the middle overs, Kumble will be the first-choice spinner in India’s best World Cup XI.

WC record

Matches: 18
Runs: 62
Wickets: 31

10. Zaheer Khan

Zaheer has been India’s most successful bowler in World Cups. A guaranteed source of wickets with the new ball, on his day, Zak could run through any top order.

WC record

Matches: 23
Runs: 52
Wickets: 44

11. Javagal Srinath

Once the leader of India’s pace attack, Srinath had to compromise on his pace towards the later part of his career due to recurring injuries. However, he made up for it with his accuracy and swing in the 2003 campaign, in which he bagged 16 wickets.

WC record

Matches: 34
Runs: 85
Wickets: 44

The Substitutes

12. Harbhajan Singh

One of the unsung heroes of the 2011 World Cup, Bhajji provided key wickets at crucial intervals throughout the campaign. His 3 wickets against SA in the group stages nearly set up a victory for India and he was equally impressive against Pakistan in the semi-finals.

WC record

Matches: 21
Runs: 93
Wickets: 20

13. Kris Srikkanth

Adventurous, exciting and at times just outrageous, Kris Srikkanth was always capable of producing something special. In the 1983 World Cup final, we saw a glimpse of his special talent, when the opener scored a fighting 39 against a fiery West Indies attack.

WC record

Matches: 23
Runs: 521
Wickets: 0

14. Sandeep Patil

Sandeep Patil’s overall World Cup record doesn’t tell much about his fearless batting style, but he still makes the cut for adding the x-factor to the Indian team.

WC record

Matches: 8
Runs: 216
Wickets: 0

15. Mohammad Azharuddin

You may hate him for fixing matches, but Azhar still boasts of a formidable World Cup record. He led India in three of the four campaigns he featured in and scored at an average of 39.33.

WC record

Matches: 30
Runs: 826
Wickets: 5