Kane Williamson picks his dream India white-ball XI, leaves out Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya

Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson has revealed his dream Indian white-ball XI, featuring a mix of legendary names and modern-day superstars.

Williamson, speaking to Middlesex Cricket, picked Virender Sehwag and Rohit Sharma as his openers. Rohit is the highest run-scorer in T20Is while he is the fourth-highest run-scorer in ODI history. On the other hand, Sehwag, renowned for his fearless approach and explosive starts, was instrumental in India’s 2007 T20 World Cup and 2011 ODI World Cup triumphs.

Williamson slotted Virat Kohli at No. 3. Kohli is widely regarded as one of the greatest chasers in the modern era and has amassed over 18,000 runs in ODIs and T20Is combined, establishing himself a pillar of consistency for India across formats. At No. 4, Williamson selected Sachin Tendulkar, the all-time leading run-scorer in ODIs with 18,426 runs. Although Tendulkar featured in just one T20I, his impact in the 50-over format remains unparalleled.

Yuvraj Singh remembered for his match-winning performances in both the 2007 and 2011 World Cups, came in at No. 5. Notably, he was also named the Player of the Tournament in 2011. At No. 6, Williamson included Suryakumar Yadav, India’s current T20I captain and a 360-degree batter who played a key role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory.

Williamson kept MS Dhoni, the wicketkeeper-batter who led India to three ICC titles - the 2007 T20 World Cup, 2011 ODI World Cup, and 2013 Champions Trophy - at No. 7. Completing the lineup, Williamson picked Jasprit Bumrah, Zaheer Khan, and Mohammed Shami as his three pace bowlers, alongside Anil Kumble, India’s all-time leading ODI wicket-taker with 334 wickets, as the lone spinner.

Kane Williamson’s all-time Indian white-ball XI

Virender Sehwag, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Suryakumar Yadav, MS Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Shami