Marcus Trescothick
Gautam Gambhir
Jacques Kallis
Virat Kohli
AB De Villiers
Ajay Jadeja
Andrew Flintoff
Shakib Al-Hasan
Mitchell Johnson
Stuart Broad
Andre Nel
In my opinion, I have one of the deepest batting line-ups in the draft. Trescothick and Gambhir both rattle along at an 85 S/R - with 23 centuries between them - but should they fail, I've got Kallis, AB De Villiers and Virat Kohli to step in. They have runs written all over them. The latter two will especially throw caution to the wind, knowing that Jadeja, the big-hitting Flintoff (an avg of 32 with 89/SR) and Al-Hasan will be in line to clear up the innings. Johnson (avg 17, S/R of 96 - the perfect tailender) and Broad are no slouches with the bat either, should a bowling attack be in for some luck.
Due to my batting depth, I've picked 6 bowlers - but I don't think I've shirked on quality. This is an ODI draft and if we're basing it on that format, Flintoff and Johnson are quite simply two of the most effective ODI bowlers of the 2000s. Flintoff has an average of 24 and a quite ridiculous Econ of 4.38 - he has to be talked about in the premier tier of ODI bowlers. Mitchell Johnson is a small step behind with an average of 25.5 and an Econ of 4.85. They are supplemented by Jacques Kallis, who needs no introductions, Stuart Broad who clocks an average of 27.5, and Saffers hitman Andre Nel who also has similar stats. Al-Hasan offers a change of pace with his tricky spin and, without the weight of Bangladesh on his shoulders but with proper pace bowlers to soften batsmen up, you can only expect his bowling to be even more effective. The man has an average of 28.8 and an Econ rate of 4.3, and the stats will only get better.
Desert Eagle has some very good players, but I don't think he's quite matched the balance that I have. The batting lacks a punch and Sehwag, while venomous, fails to have superstar consistency in ODI formats. Warne is of course a premier spinner, but he doesn't have a lot of supplement; don't be fooled by Steyn, he is a better test player than he is ODI - his stats hugely pale in comparison to Johnson and Flintoff. Gillespie is no better than my top bowling options and Duminy, Collingwood, Ganguly and Astle will get tonked all over the place by my batsmen.
