India skipper Virat Kohli is the only Indian player to feature in former England captain Michael Vaughan’s best pre-tournament ICC Champions Trophy eleven. The cricketer-turned-commentator selected four South Africans, three Australians, a couple of Englishmen and one New Zealand player in his team.
Explosive Australian opener David Warner has got the nod ahead of his South Africa counterpart Hashim Amla for his ability to go all out in the initial overs. Amla was in sensational form in this year’s Indian Premier League, scoring two centuries but Warner’s reputation saw him getting the preference in Vaughan’s “Champions Trophy Dream Team”, team as an opener.
Vaughan revealed his team in a column for English news outlet The Telegraph.
“A very close call between Warner and Hashim Amla, but I want firecrackers in my top order and Warner is the best in the business,” wrote Vaughan.
South Africa’s in-form wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock has been selected as the second opening batsman.
“The only concern is against the swinging ball in England. (De Kock) is the closest the modern game has to Adam Gilchrist. He has that effortless ability to strike the boundary early without playing risky strokes,” Vaughan explained.
At number three, Vaughan selected his compatriot Joe Root ahead of Australia skipper Steve Smith who is coming into the tournament on the back of a brilliant Test series in India and the Indian Premier League where he led Rising Pune Supergiant to the final.
Explaining the reason behind snubbing Smith for Root, Vaughan wrote:
“Joe wins because of English conditions but I also need someone to be a sixth bowlers in this team.”
Virat Kohli also made it to the team as the number 4 batsman despite Vaughan’s concerns.
“I know his record in England is not great, but he is a better player than when he came here last time,” Vaughan wrote.
Kohli had endured a disastrous outing when India visited England in 2014 for a full-fledged series. Arguably the best batsman in the world right now, Kohli managed to score only 134 runs in five Tests with a highest score of 39. Things did not improve in the One-Day International series either where he scored a paltry 54 runs in four matches.
Walking at number is South Africa skipper and world number one ODI batsman AB de Villiers and is followed by England all-rounder Ben Stokes.
“(De Villiers) is a wizard at manoeuvring the ball. (Stokes) is the best allrounder in the world in my opinion. He is an impact player in all three facets of the game,” the former cricketer said.
England’s wicketkeeper-batsman Jos Buttler completes the batting lineup.
World number one ODI bowler Kagiso Rabada, Australia’s Mitchell Starc and Kiwi bowler Trent Boult complete the pace attack while Protea spinner Imran Tahir has got the nod for the spin department.
“(Starc) has the ability to clear out any top order if the ball swings early and is the best at bowling yorkers at the death,” Vaughan noted.
The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy, meanwhile, will begin on June 1 with hosts England taking on Bangladesh at the Oval.
Michael Vaughan’s Champions Trophy dream team XI:
David Warner (Aus), Quinton de Kock (SA), Joe Root (Eng), Virat Kohli (Ind), AB de Villiers (SA), Ben Stokes (Eng), Jos Buttler (Eng), Mitchell Starc (Aus), Kagiso Rabada (SA), Trent Boult (NZ), Imran Tahir (SA).