Shastri names Botham ahead of Kapil, Border as captain in dream team

London, July 22 (UNI) Former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri has picked Aussie legend Allan Border as the best among the captains he has played with and against.

In the dream Test team of his era, Shastri thought Border's combative attitude and demeanour of being man for all situations would be ideal to lead a side which has who is who of world's all-time great cricketers.

''Combative, ready to scrap and a man for every situation, at his best when his side was in trouble,'' Shastri said of Border, who would come in number six, while naming a 12-men team chosen among his contemporary cricketers in an article in The Times.

Shastri's dream team has five West Indians, two each from India, Australia and England and one Pakistani. There was none from Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar and Englishman Graham Gooch open the innings, while West Indian great Vivian Richards and Indian master blaster Sachin Tendulkar come at number three and four.

Shastri thinks Gavaskar had the tightest defence among his contemporaries and could score against every type of bowler while Gooch ''was one of the best against quick bowling.'' ''Viv Richards could spoil a good game by taking it to another level. When I bowled at him for the first time, my hands were shaking,'' Shastri said of the original master blaster.

As for Tendulkar, Shastri said, ''A fantastic player.

He has scored runs in all parts of the world and could go on for another two years.'' But, the highest praise was left for Lara -- who comes after Tendulkar in the dream team.

''When he (Lara) was at the wicket, his back-lift high and a flourish after every attacking shot, there was no more exciting sight,'' said Shastri who played 80 Tests between 1980 and 1994.

Himself a respected all-rounder of his era, he went for newly knighted Englishman Ian Botham ahead of World Cup winning captains Kapil Dev and Imran Khan.

Botham would come at number seven after Border while West Indian wicketkeeper Jeff Dujon was to follow Botham.

''Botham swung the ball at pace, always tried to dominate with the bat and held his catches in the slips.One of the personalities in the modern game,'' he said of 'beefy' Botham.

''Bob Taylor was the most technical wicketkeeper I saw, but Jeff was the best wicketkeeper/batsman of my era,'' Shastri explained why he picked Dujon in his team.

For fast bowlers' slots, the 45-year-old Indian Shastri thought West Indians Malcolm Marshall and Michael Holding and Pakistani Wasim Akram as the best.

''Wasim Akram was the best left-arm fast bowler of my time. He could bowl yorkers, bouncers, reverse swing, around the wicket,'' Shastri said of his one-time partner at ESPN-STAR show 'Shaz and Waz'.

But, he described Malcolm Marshall as the best fast bowler he played with or against.

''He was quick, with great skill, and bowled well in all conditions. India once played West Indies 11 times in a year and only three of us survived, be it with our reputations or bones intact.'' As for Holding, Shastri said, ''Michael Holding was quick on the slowest of pitches. I was tempted to include Richard Hadlee, but Michael brought an element of intimidation.'' Shastri had no two minds while picking the spinner in his team and Aussie Shane Warne was his obvious choice.

''I was the first batsman he ever dismissed in Test cricket. I felt then he was a good bowler, but not one who would take 708 wickets. Shane had great control, bowled a superb leg-break and had a wonderful temperament.'' Dream Team: 1. Sunil Gavaskar 2. Graham Gooch 3. Vivian Richards 4. Sachin Tendulkar 5. Brian Lara 6. Allan Border 7. Ian Botham 8. Jeff Dujon (WK) 9. Wasim Akram 10. Malcolm Marshall 11. Michael Holding 12. Shane Warne UNI