Former India captain Ajinkya Rahane recently shared his all-time right-handed T20 XI, focusing on impactful players in International T20 Cricket. Notably, he left out Virat Kohli, leading to much discussion among cricket enthusiasts.
For the opening positions, Rahane chose Rohit Sharma and Jos Buttler. Rohit has scored 4,231 runs in T20Is with a strike rate of 140.89, while Buttler has accumulated 3,976 runs at a strike rate near 150, making him a formidable presence in the powerplay. Rahane announced his picks in a video for Cricbuzz.
The middle order consists of Suryakumar Yadav, AB de Villiers, and MS Dhoni. Suryakumar has been a standout performer, amassing 3,114 T20I runs at an impressive strike rate over 165. De Villiers scored 1,672 runs in T20Is at a strike rate of 135, showcasing his versatility. Rahane selected Dhoni as the captain and wicketkeeper; he wrapped up his T20I career with 1,617 runs at a strike rate of 126, backed by significant leadership experience.
Rahane also included two all-rounders from the Caribbean: Andre Russell and Dwayne Bravo. Russell has scored 1,122 T20I runs at a strike rate over 160 and taken 61 wickets with a higher economy of 9.42. Bravo contributed 1,255 runs at a strike rate of 115 and secured 78 wickets with an economy around 8.1, establishing him as a valuable death-overs bowler.
In the bowling lineup, Rahane nominated Harbhajan Singh as the off-spinner, with 25 T20I wickets at an economy of 6.8. The pace attack features Jasprit Bumrah, who has 107 wickets at an impressive economy of 6.5, and Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka’s leading T20I wicket-taker with 107 wickets at an economy of 7.4. Yuzvendra Chahal rounds out the XI, boasting 96 T20I wickets and an economy of 8.2.
Ajinkya Rahane’s All-Time Right-Handed T20 XI
Rohit Sharma, Jos Buttler, Suryakumar Yadav, AB de Villiers, MS Dhoni (wk), Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Lasith Malinga, Yuzvendra Chahal