Cricket Legends Create Hypothetical Football XI in Fun Podcast Discussion

Cricket Stars Assemble a Football Team

In a light-hearted segment of the Stick to Cricket podcast, cricket analysts Michael Vaughan, Ravi Shastri, and others humorously crafted a theoretical football team using players from the Indian cricket squad.

Goalkeeper Selection

Vaughan argued that a top goalkeeper should possess both height and reach, humorously suggesting that Rishabh Pant was 'too small' for the role. He ultimately chose Jasprit Bumrah as the ideal goalkeeper, citing his physical attributes.

Defensive and Midfield Choices

Left Back: Rishabh Pant was humorously assigned the left-back position, with Vaughan comparing him to Luke Shaw for his confidence and cockiness.

Right Back: Ravi Shastri selected Nitish Kumar Reddy for this position, praising his defensive skills while acknowledging his recent injury.

Left Wing: Ravindra Jadeja was placed on the left wing due to his adaptability.

Centre Halves: Mohammed Siraj was considered for one of the central defensive spots.

Holding Midfielder: There was a unanimous agreement on KL Rahul, with Vaughan likening him to Michael Carrick for his tactical awareness and technical skills.

Forward Positions and Creative Roles

No. 10 Role: Vaughan playfully compared Yashasvi Jaiswal to Lionel Messi, noting his skill and ability to trouble defenders.

Centre Forward/Defender Hybrid: Shubman Gill was described as a blend of a centre forward and a defender, reminiscent of Matthijs de Ligt.

Wingers and Special Mentions

Right Midfield/Beckham Role: David Lloyd humorously suggested Gautam Gambhir to emulate David Beckham's famous curling shots from the right side, which elicited laughter.

Left Midfield: For comedic effect, Lloyd placed Morne Morkel, India's bowling coach, in this position, calling him the 'worst footballer' he had seen, while still recognizing Morkel's cricketing prowess against England.

Football Enthusiasm Among Cricketers

The conversation also highlighted the Indian team's growing interest in Premier League football, especially after their visit to Manchester United's stadium before the fourth Test. Shastri noted that Kuldeep Yadav is particularly passionate about football, although his favorite team remains unknown.