Tendulkar on top of Warne’s Dream Team

SYDNEY, Aug 10: Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar heads the list of players in the world cricket team of Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne, ...

SYDNEY, Aug 10: Indian skipper Sachin Tendulkar heads the list of players in the world cricket team of Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne, featuring as the opening batsman in his dream team for both Tests and one-dayers.

“I haven’t seen anyone hit the ball harder,” says Warne in his just released book My Own Story, in which he lists his selection of the very best players that he would most like to watch or play with.

Considered by many as the best spin bowler of all times, Warne describes Tendulkar as class batsman, “with an excellent technique and plenty of power,” adding that “for balance he would have to open but he is easily good enough to do it.

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"Why not get him in early.”Despite conceding that Test and one-day teams would differ more and more over the next few years, Warne has selected Tendulkar as the opening batsman in both the dreams teams, saying that the very best players in the world “are good enough to adapt their skills to either games.”

Warne favours Steve Waugh to captain both the Test and One-day squads.The other players that he would like to pay to watch include Brian Lara, Wasim Akram, Hansie Cronje, Jonty Rhodes, but surprisingly no player from World champions Sri Lanka feature in either list.

WARNE’S DREAM TEAMS

TESTS: Sachin Tendulkar, Matthew Elliott, Brian Lara, Mark Waugh, Steve Waugh (c), Brian McMillan, Ian Healy, Wasim Akram (vc), Shane Warne, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath and Jonty Rhodes.

ONE-DAYERS

Sachin Tendulkar, Mark Waugh, Brian Lara, Hansie Cronje, Steve Waugh (c), Michael Bevan, Ian Healy, Wasim Akram (vc), Shane Warne, Curtly Ambrose, Glenn McGrath and Jonty Rhodes.