Suresh Raina selected World Playing 11 before WCL 2025; Both Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni were not given place

Former Indian cricketer and 2011 World Cup winner Suresh Raina recently made headlines by revealing his all-time World Playing XI while participating in the 2025 World Championship of Legends (WCL). What caught the attention of fans across the cricketing world was the notable absence of three of India’s most iconic cricketers — Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma — from Raina’s dream team. This bold move sparked widespread discussions among cricket lovers and experts alike, as Raina chose to go with a more old-school, legendary lineup filled with names that have had a lasting impact on the game over decades.

Raina’s World XI opens with two of the most prolific batters in the history of cricket — Brian Lara and Sachin Tendulkar. This left-right combination is a dream partnership, bringing together Lara’s stylish flair and Sachin’s technical brilliance. In the middle order, Raina has included West Indies great Sir Vivian Richards, legendary all-rounder Sir Garry Sobers, and Indian star Yuvraj Singh. These three offer a combination of explosive batting, match-winning skills, and leadership qualities that can turn a game around in minutes.

Interestingly, Raina has limited his team to just two fast bowlers — Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff — both of whom are known for their exceptional all-round capabilities. While this may appear to weaken the pace department, it adds incredible depth to both batting and bowling, as Botham and Flintoff were match-winners with both bat and ball in their prime.

Where Raina’s selection becomes truly unconventional is in the spin department. He has opted for four full-time spinners: Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Saqlain Mushtaq, and Shane Warne. Each of them brings a unique skillset — Kumble’s accuracy, Harbhajan’s bounce and drift, Saqlain’s doosra, and Warne’s legendary leg-spin. To further reinforce his love for spin, Raina picked former South African chinaman bowler Paul Adams as the team’s designated "Impact Player." Adams, known for his unorthodox action, adds variety and unpredictability to this already spin-heavy attack.

Here’s Suresh Raina’s complete World Playing XI:

**Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Viv Richards, Garry Sobers, Yuvraj Singh, Ian Botham, Andrew Flintoff, Shane Warne, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Saqlain Mushtaq. Impact Player: Paul Adams.**

As the WCL 2025 unfolds, Raina’s selection has added more drama to the tournament. The competition, which brings together cricketing legends from six teams — India Champions, Australia Champions, England Champions, South Africa Champions, Pakistan Champions, and West Indies Champions — is being hosted with great enthusiasm by fans worldwide. The Indian team, captained by Yuvraj Singh, includes seasoned players like Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, and Robin Uthappa, making them one of the top contenders for the title. Their campaign begins on July 20 with a high-voltage clash against the Pakistan Champions.

However, not everything has been smooth for Raina and the Indian contingent. There has been criticism back home regarding their participation in a tournament that features a team from Pakistan, especially in the wake of recent cross-border tensions and the tragic Pahalgam attack that claimed innocent Indian lives. Many domestic fans have expressed disappointment, accusing the players of being insensitive to the national sentiment during a time of grief and outrage.

Despite the backlash, the Indian team has chosen to focus on cricket, using the platform to relive the glory days of the sport and provide entertainment to fans who grew up watching these legends. Suresh Raina’s bold choices — both in his team selection and his participation — have sparked debate, but they’ve also reignited discussions about cricket’s ability to unite and heal, even in times of division.