Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell recently revealed his all-time combined ODI XI, featuring players from Australia, India and England. Surprisingly, no England player made the cut, despite being allowed to pick from all three nations. The selection rules permitted a maximum of five Australians, with the remaining spots open to Indian and English players. Maxwell justified his choices based on personal preferences, form and impact on the game, while giving priority to legends like Virat Kohli and Ricky Ponting.
Glenn Maxwell names all-time Australia-India-England ODI XI
Opening pair and top order brilliance
Maxwell’s opening pair features Indian legends Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma, leaving out Australians like David Warner, Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist. For the No. 3 spot, Maxwell selected Kohli, describing him as the best ODI batter of his generation. At No. 4, former Australian captain Ponting brings experience and finishing ability, while Michael Bevan occupies No. 5, ensuring stability in the middle order. Maxwell ignored several English legends, including Ben Stokes and Eoin Morgan, favoring players with proven match-winning records in 50-over cricket. This top order balances flair and consistency, with Maxwell clearly prioritizing players who dominated ODI cricket over decades, rather than simply choosing based on nationality or popularity.
All-rounders and wicket-keeper priority
In the all-rounder slot, Maxwell made a bold choice, picking Shane Watson over England’s Stokes and several other greats such as Yuvraj Singh, Andrew Symonds and Kapil Dev. Watson’s blend of aggressive batting and useful medium-pace bowling fit Maxwell’s vision of a dynamic XI. The wicketkeeper slot went to MS Dhoni, which automatically ruled out England’s Jos Buttler and Australia’s Gilchrist. Maxwell’s choices emphasize balance, experience, and finishing ability, highlighting players who could turn a match single-handedly while maintaining tactical flexibility in the field and batting order.
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Bowling attack: Pacers and spin department
Maxwell’s bowling selection mixes pace and spin legends for a potent attack. The pace trio includes Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath and Jasprit Bumrah, providing a combination of pace, bounce, and death-over expertise. In the spin department, Maxwell surprisingly picked Anil Kumble, leaving out Australian spinner Adam Zampa and the legendary Shane Warne. Notably, England great James Anderson was again omitted, reflecting Maxwell’s focus on Indian and Australian cricketing legends. This bowling line-up offers both experience and match-winning potential, capable of exploiting different pitch conditions while complementing the batting-heavy side.
Maxwell’s ODI XI: The full team
- Openers: Rohit Sharma, Sachin Tendulkar
- No. 3: Virat Kohli
- Middle Order: Ricky Ponting, Michael Bevan
- All-Rounder: Shane Watson
- Wicketkeeper: MS Dhoni
- Spinner: Anil Kumble
- Pacers: Jasprit Bumrah, Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee
