Murali failed to make it to the side

Melbourne: Former Australia captain Richie Benaud named his World XI of the 20th century on Monday, with England’s Jack Hobbs and India’s Sunil Gavaskar opening the batting ahead of Don Bradman at No. 3.

India’s Sachin Tendulkar and West Indies ‘Master Blaster’ Viv Richards were named at Nos. 4 and 5 followed by Pakistan’s Imran Khan and West Indian Garfield Sobers as the two allrounders.

Australia’s hard-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist was included at No. 8 with his Australia teammate Shane Warne filling the slow bowler’s position.

Imran and Sobers would also be able to share the bowling behind the pace duo of Englishman Sydney Barnes and Australia’s Dennis Lillee.

Benaud named four Australians in his side, with two players from West Indies, two from India, two from England and one from Pakistan.

Leading South Africa players like batsman Graeme Pollock and fast bowlers Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald were unable to squeeze into the side, nor was Sri Lanka’s world record Test wicket-taker Muttiah Muralidharan and New Zealand’s leading wicket-taker Richard Hadlee.

Benaud, a highly regarded television commentator, said on Monday in a statement he would release a DVD on September 9 featuring tributes to the players named in his Greatest XI of the 20th century.

Benaud is chairman of a five-man selection panel for next month’s ICC World XI One-Day International and World XI Test teams of the year, to be named next month in London.

THE XI: Jack Hobbs (Eng), Sunil Gavaskar (Ind), Don Bradman (Aus), Sachin Tendulkar (Ind), Viv Richards (WI), Imran Khan (Pak), Garfield Sobers (WI), Adam Gilchrist (Aus), Shane Warne (Aus), Sidney Barnes (Eng), Dennis Lillee (Aus). (Reuters)