London: India captain Virat Kohli would pick South African skipper Faf du Plessis in his side if he ever got a chance to pick someone from the other participating teams in the World Cup.
All the 10 captains were given a hypothetical situation wherein they could pick any player from the other side and there were some interesting answers with answers ranging from Jasprit Bumrah to Rashid Khan. “It is very difficult to choose someone. We feel we are such a strong side. But if I have to choose one from the current lot... since AB (de Villiers) is retired now, I would choose Faf (du Plessis),” said Kohli at the official captains’ media conference.
Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza picked Kohli to be a part of his side. Pointing towards Kohli, Mortaza said: “I would choose that guy.”
Du Plessis preferred to pick bowlers rather than batsmen but when asked if he would not like to have Kohli in his team, the South African said “Virat is my batting team”.
“I will pick a few players, mainly bowlers. For bowling attack... Jasprit Bumrah, he is bowling really well at the moment. As Virat said, he is multi-format bowler. Then there is exciting spinner Rashid Khan, Pat Cummins from Australia. Team that will go till the end of the tournament will be the ones that do well with the ball. Bowlers who have capabilities of taking wickets,” said du Plessis.
New Zealander Kane Williamson agreed with his South African counterpart, saying bowlers will play a key role. “Bowlers will play a big part and I would love to have Rashid Khan in my team,” said Williamson.
England’s Eoin Morgan said: “I won’t change anything about my team. Ponting is part of Australia’s coaching side, so I would take Ricky Ponting.”
“Rabada is one guy who has amazing energy. He is a superstar,” said Finch.
Choice for Sri Lankan captain Dimuth Karunaratne was Ben Stokes. “He (Stokes) is a game changer. We know what he can do.”
Brett Lee has high praise for Bumrah Meanwhile, former Australian pacer Brett Lee has picked Bumrah as one of his top three fast bowlers for the upcoming World Cup, beginning in the United Kingdom on May 30. “What a wonderful bowler,” said Lee of Bumrah, who has taken 85 wickets in 49 one-day internationals.
“He’s got a good record, wonderful yorker, good pace,” added the Australian, a member of the 2003 World Cup winning side.
Besides Bumrah, Lee picked compatriots Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummings as the other two fast bowlers who will do well.
“You’d have to stick with Mitchell Starc,” Lee told cricket.com.au.
