England left-arm pacer Reece Topley has put together an all-time T20 XI that will catch the attention of cricket fans for two striking omissions. Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni, two of the most decorated names in the format and both T20 World Cup-winning captains for India, are absent from the eleven.
In an exclusive interview with CricTracker, Topley named his chosen side as: . The XI spans multiple generations of T20 cricket and is packed with match-winners across batting, bowling and all-round roles.
Three Indian players feature in the side, with Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav and Bumrah all earning places. Yet neither Rohit nor Dhoni, each of whom lifted the T20 World Cup as India captain, made the cut.
Who opens the batting and keeps wicket in Topley’s XI?
Topley handed the two opening berths to Chris Gayle and Jos Buttler, with the latter also assigned the wicketkeeping duties. Gayle is widely considered one of the most destructive openers the format has produced, while Buttler has been a consistently explosive white-ball batter for England across the past decade.
Kohli takes the number three position, a slot he has filled with considerable success in T20 internationals for India. Suryakumar Yadav follows at number four, bringing his 360-degree range of strokeplay into the middle order, while AB de Villiers slots in at five, adding further versatility and power to the batting unit.
Kieron Pollard, appointed captain by Topley, bats at number six and contributes both lower-order hitting and leadership. Shahid Afridi rounds off the batting at seven, giving the side an all-round dimension with both bat and ball.
Which bowlers did Topley select in his all-time T20 XI?
The pace attack in Topley’s XI is built around three bowlers who have each shaped the T20 format in different ways. Lasith Malinga, known for his ability to execute yorkers at the death and defend totals under pressure, leads the group. Brett Lee of Australia provides raw pace and accuracy from the other end, qualities that made him a consistent threat during the format’s formative years.
Bumrah completes the pace trio, bringing his distinctive action and mastery of the death overs into a formidable unit alongside Malinga and Lee. His inclusion reflects his standing as one of the premier T20 bowlers of the current era.
Muttiah Muralitharan takes the specialist spin role, with the Sri Lanka great’s record and variety of deliveries making him a straightforward selection in any all-time combination. Afridi’s position at number seven also provides a second spin option and adds further bowling depth to the side, ensuring Topley’s XI is well balanced across all departments.
Reece Topley’s all-time T20 XI: Chris Gayle, Jos Buttler (WK), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, AB de Villiers, Kieron Pollard (C), Shahid Afridi, Lasith Malinga, Brett Lee, Jasprit Bumrah and Muttiah Muralitharan.
