In a recent announcement, former India coach and 1983 World Cup winner Ravi Shastri revealed his definitive list of India’s five greatest ODI cricketers. This star-studded lineup features cricketing giants Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni, Kapil Dev, and Rohit Sharma.
During an appearance on FOX Cricket, Shastri crowned Virat Kohli as the top pick, praising his incredible consistency and unparalleled match-winning prowess over a span of more than ten years. He further solidified his list with three more World Cup champions: MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, and Kapil Dev, recognizing them as the pillars of India’s most successful periods in one-day international cricket.
Shastri stated, “My picks are Kohli, Tendulkar, Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma.” He elaborated on his choice to exclude Jasprit Bumrah, explaining, “The only reason I haven’t included Bumrah yet is because he still has about three or four more years of cricket ahead of him. These players, however, are nearing the end of their illustrious careers, having played for over a decade, some even a decade and a half. It’s certainly challenging to choose, as many other brilliant players come to mind, but these five truly stand out for me.”
Further clarifying his selections, Shastri underscored the unique legacy of leadership and game-changing influence these five cricketers possess. “They’ve all been exceptional contributors to Indian cricket. My list includes two World Cup-winning captains. In fact, apart from Rohit Sharma, every player on this list has lifted the World Cup trophy. Yet, it’s impossible to leave Rohit out, given his three remarkable double centuries and over 11,000 runs, making him the third-highest run-scorer in the group. Crucially, every single one of these players is a genuine match-winner on any given day,” he asserted.
Collectively, Shastri’s chosen five represent the pinnacle of India’s ODI achievements spanning multiple eras: Kapil Dev, the visionary behind the historic 1983 World Cup victory; Sachin Tendulkar, the cricketing icon who dominated the 1990s and 2000s; MS Dhoni, the charismatic captain who led India to glory in the 2011 World Cup; Virat Kohli, the prolific run-scoring machine of the modern game; and Rohit Sharma, the sensational opener who continues to break records and captained India to the 2023 World Cup final.