There was good news – and bad as well – for Indian cricket fans. A selection panel to elect the world’s “All Star XI” – the best ever one-day cricket team – has named Sachin Tendulkar among the players. However former captain and current team coach Kapil Dev, who led India to its first World Cup victory in 1983, has been left out. Good news for Pakistan cricket fans as Imran Khan and Wasim Akram have been included.
Tendulkar, incidentally is the only Indian player in the team, which also includes former Pakistani captains Imran Khan and Wasim Akram, and is led by Australian Greg Chappell. Tendulkar was the unanimous choice as the opener along with Australian Adam Gilchrist.
The selection seems to have sparked a controversy with sports commentaotrs questioning the exclusion of players like Pakistan’s Javed Miandad, West Indians Gordon Greenidge, Brian Lara and Desmond Haynes, Australia’s Allan Border or England’s Bobby Simpson.
But, the manner in which the selection was done will be televised during the “Cricket Week,” organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) from April 2-9. “We thought there was nothing wrong in people knowing the mind of the selectors and they know their reasoning by watching the telecast,” ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya was quoted as saying in The Indian Express.
The All Star XI: Greg Chappel (captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Adam Gilcrist, Vivian Richards, Dean Jones, Clive Lloyd, Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee, Wasim Akram, Shane Warne and Joel Garner.
The selection panel: Garfield Sobers, Neil Harvey , Barry Richards, Bishan Singh Bedi, John Reid, Mushtaq Muhammad, Duleep Mendis, Andy Pycroft, Dicky Bird.