Although beating India in India will never be an easy road for any touring team, we will try to bring you the best possible 11 who could beat India in India (P.S - They play to their strengths).
India at home has always been a formidable side, but the scenes now are something different. Beating India in India has become something a side will look into to bring the best out of themselves, although a single country's team hasn't been able to get over them in the past 6 years and 11 test series(still counting) we will try to squeeze out a world 11 who can (if not defeat) atleast give a tough competition to the formidable Indian side.
So, What will it take to create a super 11 who can defeat India In India, let's take a look...
1. Openers
Opening in India doesn't only apply to people who play swing or seam well, but along with these two skills one has to perform well against spin too.
In the current world cricketing scenario, Openers averaging more than 35 to both pacers and spinners are Dimuth Karunaratne, Tom Latham and David Warner. Although looking at current form, Karunaratne and Latham make the cut.
2. Middle-order
For beating an Indian side of such calibre at home, one definitely needs world's best middle order who play well to anything that's thrown to them.
This will help the team to pile up a humongous total and atleast make a chance of surviving.
In today's generation the best in the business are known as 'Fab Four' which comprises of Virat Kohli, Steve Smith, Kane Williamson and Joe Root.
And as Virat Kohli will be leading the home side, Root, Smith and Williamson becomes the automatic choice for the middle order.
With Smith being the only captain who won the solitary test against India at Pune during the 6 year period, he will be the one captaining this side.
3. Wicket- Keeper
With all his experience of keeping to spinners across formats and batting against them as well, Mushfiqur Rahim becomes the automatic choice for Wicket Keeper and a solid no. 6 batsman for the World 11.
4. All- Rounder
Again an Asian cricketer makes the cut, as no player in today's cricketing generation can match the skill level of 'Sakib Al Hasan' the iconic Bangladesh all-rounder who will be soon leading his national side as well, makes into the World 11 as the solitary all-rounder.
5. Spinners
A side who can beat India in India, will always need quality spinners to out play Indian spin twins "Ashwin and Jadeja" who dominated nearly every Indian victory during this period.
With 363 test wickets from 91 test matches the quality off-spinner down under, Nathan Lyon makes into the 11 due to his immense experience as a regular member of his team and his quality to out- play Indian spin twins on any given day.
Second fiddle to him can be anyone of either Yasir Shah or Mitchell Santner, with the former being there because if his overall record of 200+ wickets in 35 tests and the latter getting the cut dur to his good performances against India in any format whatsoever.
6. Fast Bowler's
Although, India's conditions doesn't suit fast bowling as good as SENA countries, good fast bowlers can trouble any batsman any day whatsoever be the pitch.
Fast bowlers who troubled India at home in recent times were the likes of Pat Cummins, Trent Boult, Kagiso Rabada and Josh Hazelwood.
Keeping in mind the bounce that Pat Cummins gets of the deck whatsoever be the pitch and the angle Trent Boult creates plus the inability of Indian batting line up to play against a left-arm pacer may help the likes of this World 11.
7. 12th Man
The most talked-about cricketer of recent times, "Ben Stokes" can't be ignored if one is looking at a world 11, but yes we can keep him as a 12th man so that if any player gets injured he will be a near-perfect replacement.
Sports Social World 11;
1. Dimuth Karunaratne
2. Tom Latham
3. Joe Root
4. Steve Smith (c)
5. Kane Williamson
6. Mushfiqur Rahim (wk)
7. Shakib Al Hasan
8. Yasir Shah
9. Nathan Lyon
10. Pat Cummins
11. Trent Boult
Ben Stokes (12th Man)
Anyway, even if you put together a dream team with your openers playing spin well, your patient middle order, a couple of good spinners and supporting fast bowlers, India has all of these already in their side and also have the experience of using them for years.
So be it this World 11 or any other team touring India, will have to play out of their skins to beat India in their backyard.
