Gautam Gambhir picks three Pakistan cricketers in all-time World XI he has played against

Gautam Gambhir, the new head coach of the India men’s cricket team, has picked his all-time World XI, consisting of players he has played against in international cricket. Notably, Gautam Gambhir selected three players from the Pakistan cricket team in his pick of elite international cricketers across the world.

Gautam Gambhir played 58 Tests for Team India in his career. He scored 4,154 Test runs at an average of 41.95 with 22 fifties and nine centuries. Gambhir featured in 147 ODIs and 37 T20Is in white-ball cricket. The former left-handed batter amassed over 6,000 runs with 11 centuries and 41 half-centuries.

The southpaw was part of India's winning campaigns in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup. Gambhir was the leading run-scorer for the Men in Blue in the finals of the World Cups in 2007 and 2011. He led the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to trophies in the Indian Premier League in 2012 and 2014.

Gautam Gambhir Picks His All-Time World XI He Has Played Against

Speaking to Sportskeeda, Gambhir shared his all-time World XI featuring legendary cricketers from various cricket teams. Gambhir selected Australian explosive batters Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, known for their aggressive prowess at the top order, especially in white-ball cricket.

Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden were among the most successful batsmen of the 2000s. They played pivotal roles in Australia’s ICC ODI World Cup victories in 2003 and 2007. The wicketkeeper-batter also won the tournament in 1999.

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Gautam Gambhir Snubs Ricky Ponting In His All-Time World XI

The 42-year-old included South African batter AB de Villiers and the elegant cricketer Brian Lara from the West Indies in the batting order. Gambhir picked former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq in the middle order, followed by Australia’s explosive batter Andrew Symonds in his all-time World XI.

Brian Lara amassed 11,953 runs in 131 Tests and 10,405 runs in 299 ODIs. He holds the record for the highest individual Test score of 400 not out. Inzamam-ul-Haq scored 8,830 runs in 120 Tests and 11,739 runs in 378 ODIs, including 35 centuries. He was also part of Pakistan's 1992 World Cup-winning team.

Gautam Gambhir Ignores Glenn McGrath In His All-Time World XI

Pakistan’s Abdul Razzaq and England’s Andrew Flintoff, known for their abilities with both bat and ball, are the all-rounders in the team. Sri Lanka legend Muttiah Muralitharan is the only spin bowler in Gautam Gambhir's lineup. Muralitharan is the leading wicket-taker in both Test and ODI cricket.

Pakistan's tearaway pacer Shoaib Akhtar and South Africa's Morne Morkel are included as pace bowlers in Gambhir's all-time World XI. Morkel was recently appointed as the India men's cricket team’s bowling coach. Notably, no players from New Zealand or Bangladesh were selected for the all-time team.

Gambhir’s All-Time playing XI: Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, AB de Villiers, Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Andrew Symonds, Abdul Razzaq, Andrew Flintoff, Muttiah Muralitharan, Shoaib Akhtar, Morne Morkel

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