Published: Aug 04, 2016, 03:11 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 04, 2016, 03:16 PM (IST)
Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has a special bonding with Lord’s. Not that he is a member of MCC but it was at this venue where he struck a hundred on Test debut and then who can forget his bare body shirt whirling act at the Lord’s balcony. Now for Lord’s Cricket Ground, the southpaw came up with his All-Time XI.
Ganguly’s criteria: the cricketers he has played with or against. Ganguly has picked Matthew Hayden as the opener and surprisingly picked Alastair Cook to partner the burly Australia. He had a tough choice make between his favourite, Virender Sehwag and Cook but the English Test skipper seals the spot. At No. 3 is Rahul Dravid, a man who has won many games for Ganguly, when the latter was the Indian captain. At No. 4, there is no surprise as ‘Sachin Tendulkar‘ is the name. ALSO READ: 4 English players, Steve Waugh as captain and Sachin Tendulkar at No. 6 in Matt Prior’s All-Time XI
Repeatedly, Ganguly has hailed Jacques Kallis as one of the greatest cricketers ever. The South African all-rounder is at No. 5, followed by Kumar Sangakkara at No. 6, who also is the wicketkeeper of the side. At No. 7, Ganguly picks Ricky Ponting, who captains the side. The Bengal left-hander makes it clear that he may bat up the order and it is not necessary that he will bat at that spot.
Ganguly has picked a lethal bowling attack. While Glenn McGrath will open the bowling with Dale Steyn, his two spinners are Shane Warne and Muttiah Muralitharan. He believes Kallis is a good enough bowler to be the third pacer. READ MORE: 15 memorable quotes on Sourav Ganguly by cricket legends
Sourav Ganguly’s All-Time XI: Matthew Hayden, Alastair Cook, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Ricky Ponting (c), Shane Warne, Dale Steyn, Muttiah Muralitharan, Glenn McGrath.
Check Ganguly reasoning it out in this video.
