Virat Kohli Demoted In ODIs, Only 1 More Indian Added As Misbah-Ul-Haq Picks World XI

Rohit Sharma Virat Kohli. Image Credits: AFP

Few batters in the modern game have embodied consistency and match-winning brilliance across all formats like Virat Kohli. His enduring excellence, especially in ODIs, has once again earned recognition, this time from a former Pakistan captain.

Ex-cricketer Misbah-ul-Haq recently picked Kohli along with one other Indian player while naming his all-time best ODI World XI. While the Indian stalwart features in Misbah’s XI, the legendary batter got demoted from his usual batting position in favour of his Pakistan rival Babar Azam.

Babar Azam and Virat Kohli paired in Misbah’s ODI XI

While speaking on Zalmi TV, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq recently named his all-time World ODI XI. The cricketer-turned-commentator picked champion Australian Travis Head and ace Sri Lankan batter Kusal Mendis as his openers.

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Virat Kohli, one of the greatest batters to have graced the format, was surprisingly demoted to number four batting position in Misbah’s XI. Notably, Kohli has aggregated nearly 13,000 ODI runs while batting at number three, but was still placed at number four in favour of fellow modern-day master Babar Azam.

England’s white-ball captain Harry Brook and hard-hitting South African David Miller were picked as number five and six batters in Misbah’s prestigious ODI team.

Jasprit Bumrah joins Archer and Jansen as Misbah’s pacemen

Virat Kohli was not the only Indian player who found a place in Misbah-ul-Haq’s ODI World XI. The former Pakistan captain also named legendary Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah in his team.

Bumrah was pair with fellow express pacemen Marco Jansen and Jofra Archer. Among the spinners, Misbah named New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner and Pakistan’s enigma machine Abrar Ahmed. Here is a look at Misbah-ul-Haq’s entire ODI World XI:

Misbah-ul-Haq names his ODI World XI:

Travis Head, Kusal Mendis, Babar Azam, Virat Kohli, Harry Brook, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Mitchell Santner, Abrar Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer.

Why Kohli’s selection is justified

Virat Kohli, aged 37, remains one of the most proficient run-makers in ODI cricket. The legendary top-order batter is currently the second-highest run-maker in history, only trailing his idol, Sachin Tendulkar.

Moreover, Kohli also surpassed Tendulkar’s unthinkable record of charting 49 ODI centuries, soaring past the landmark figure back during the 2023 ICC ODI Cricket World Cup. The 37-year-old has so far aggregated 14,797 runs in just 299 ODI innings at a prolific average of 58.71, plundering 54 hundreds and 77 fifties in the process.

At the moment, the cricketer is aiming to stretch his decorated ODI career up until the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup in South Africa next year.

Conclusion

Irrespective of batting positions, Kohli’s inclusion remains a testament to his unparalleled longevity and staggering consistency in ODI cricket across generations.

Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah’s presence further underlines how the Indian pacer has redefined fast bowling in the modern era, especially at a time when high-scoring ODIs have pretty much become a norm all over the world. Together, the duo’s selection reinforces India’s enduring influence through two of the finest performers the format has witnessed.

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