MS Dhoni, Alastair Cook deserve to be captains; Virat Kohli lost out to Hashim Amla

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While Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Alastair Cook deserve to lead the International Cricket Council’s ODI and Test teams of the year, respectively, theabsence of Virat Kohli from the many listsannounced by the ICC in Mumbai on Tuesday would have caused some heartbreak to Indian fans. While Dhoni is India’s must successful skipper, Cook remains England’s best not only with some solid performances but with his ability to hold a high-profile team together. Picking world XIs has always been a debatable affair, so the ICC left it to a specially-appointed panel chaired by the its Cricket Committee chairman and former India captain Anil Kumble. Former captains Waqar Younis (Pakistan), Alec Stewart (England), Graeme Pollock (South Africa) and Catherine Campbell (New Zealand) complete the elite line-up. Kohli’s omission will now be a matter of great debate but it is not completely without logic. (Kohli can emulate Sachin: Donald)

Although the teams are on paper, the recognition confirms the authority and respect players have garnered over a specific period of time. Dhoni figures in the ODI team for the sixth straight year while Cook appears in the Test team for the third year in-a-row. Dhoni also figures in the Test team but it is not the case with the England captain, who led his team in the final of the ICC Champions Trophy in June this year. (Dhoni named People’s Choice player of the year)…

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