All-time greatest Test XI of Team India

Even after the rising popularity of T20 cricket, red-ball cricket is still considered the format with the highest standard in the game of cricket. Test cricket is the ultimate challenge for a player as it tests both the physical and mental strength of players. Playing the game for five continuous days is very challenging, and one has to use the highest degree of skill to survive in the longest format of the game. Team India started its Test cricket journey on 25 June 1932 and has played 545 test matches in total with 157 wins, 167 defeats, 217 draws and one tie in its 88 years of their sojourn. A total of 296 players have earned the glory of representing India in Test cricket. India are currently standing second in the ICC Test Championship table, showing how much dominant they can be. In this article we tried our best to pick the best Test XI among the 296 players who donned the Indian white jersey. Let us see the players who make into the greatest Indian test-XI: – 1. Sunil Gavaskar Sunil Gavaskar scoring his first ODI hundred vs NZ in 1987 WC (Photo Source: Twitter) Arguably the greatest Test opener of all time, Sunil Gavaskar will be the best choice to open the batting for India on any given day due to his ability to play long innings at the top. He possessed all the qualities a batter requires to have, to open the innings. He is the first player in the world to reach 10,000 runs in Test cricket and also held the record for the highest number of centuries (34) for nearly two decades in his time. In an era of fearsome and ruthless Caribbean pace attack, Gavaskar faced them with enormous courage even without a helmet and had an astonishing average of 65.45 against them. He also scored his highest score (236*) in Test cricket against them which tells us about his extraordinary consistency against the most dangerous bowling attack of all time. In 125 Test matches, he played for India, Gavaskar scored 10,122 runs at an average of 51.12 with the help of 34 100s and 45 fifties. He had an extraordinary strike rate of 66.04 which is a very healthy one considering the deadly bowling attacks in those days. 2. Virender Sehwag Virender Sehwag of India. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Virender Sehwag will be the best choice to open the innings with Gavaskar as he was one of the most destructive players, India have ever produced. The destructive opener is famous for his critical stroke play, with which he can slaughter any bowling attack across the globe. Sehwag redefined the role of an opener in Test cricket by playing some long innings maintaining a healthy strike rate. The Multan of Sultan became the first Indian cricketer to score a triple century in Test cricket, a feat he achieved by destroying one of the best Pakistani bowling attacks. He also went on to score another triple century, which is still the fastest triple century in the history of world cricket. He scored a 278 ball 319 slaughtering the South African bowling lineup. In 104 Test matches he played for India, Sehwag scored 8586 runs at a strike rate of 82.23 and an average of 49.34 with the help of 23 100s and 32 fifties. He was popular for his crafty off breaks and had 40 Test wickets to his name. 3. Rahul Dravid Rahul Dravid. (Photo Source: Getty Images) The No. 3 role in Test cricket is a very challenging one and Dravid will be an apt player to fit the role. His class, grace, discipline and dedication towards the game has made him one of the best batters ever to play the game. Often called The Wall of Indian Cricket, Dravid was the main pillar of the team in the early days of this century. Dravid used to frustrate the opposition bowling attacks mentally more than physically with his slow innings. The opponents used to come up with many plans to get his wicket as he is a master of defence and can defend a ball with any pace making his wicket more prized than that of Sachin. He was a very good fielder at slip position grabbing 210 catches in his career, the highest for a non-wicketkeeper. Dravid could thrive in all conditions and was a master in handling both pace and spin. In his 164 Test matches for India, Dravid scored a whopping 13288 runs with an average of 52.31 with the help of 36 centuries and 63 fifties. He also had five double centuries to his name. 4. Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Tendulkar. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) There can’t be an Indian all-time XI without Sachin Tendulkar and one doesn’t need to explain the reasons for this selection. He is the player one would want to be a part of any side as he has all the shots of the cricket book. In his 24-year-long career, Sachin left a legacy of his own shattering many records across all the formats of the game. He was a multi-dimensional player, who could play in any situation. He could build an innings, score rapidly and even bat patiently to save matches. Sachin ended his career as the highest run-scorer in Test cricket and also has the most no. of centuries to his name. His straight drive and cover drive are a treat to watch and one could say that very few can match his class in the future. He played 200 Test matches for India scoring a whopping 15921 runs with an average of 53.79 with the help of 51 centuries and 68 fifties. Adding to his unmatched batting skills, he is also a good spin bowler having 46 Test wickets to his name. 5. Virat Kohli (C) Virat Kohli. (Photo by MARTY MELVILLE/AFP via Getty Images) VVS Laxman is also a strong contender for this spot but Virat Kohli’s consistent performances on foreign pitches in recent times made him a way into this team ahead of Laxman. Initially considered a limited-overs specialist, Virat showed some astonishing temperament playing some match-winning knocks, and becoming an integral part of the team in no time. Kohli is also apt to lead this team as he is the most successful captain for India in Tests, surpassing Dhoni with a win percentage of 60% in the 55 matches, he led the Indian ship. So far, he has played 113 Test matches for India in which he scored 8848 runs at an average of 49.15 and a strike rate of 55.56 with the help of 29 centuries and 30 fifties. 6. MS Dhoni (wk) MS Dhoni is the greatest wicketkeeper-batter to have played for India and can be considered as the lone contender for this spot. Dhoni has played a crucial role in India’s success in the longest format, winning many matches with his willow and gloves. He used to score many important partnerships with the tail, being rock solid at one end. On the journey to his only double century in Test cricket, Dhoni made a record ninth-wicket partnership with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and is the only wicketkeeper-batter to score a double ton for India. Even in pressure situations, he has remained calm and that is the reason behind his tremendous success in cricket. His valuable suggestions from behind the stumps played a major role in some Test match triumphs. In 90 Tests played for the nation, he managed to score 4876 runs at an average of 38.09 with six centuries and a double century. The veteran has the most Test runs and dismissals by an Indian wicketkeeper batter having 294 dismissals to his name. 7. Kapil Dev Kapil Dev. (Photo Source: Getty Images) This is another automatic selection to this list. One can’t think of an all-time Indian XI in any format without the name Kapil Dev on it. While he is largely celebrated for his heroics in the 1983 World Cup win, his contribution to the red-ball cricket was no less. He still holds the record for the most no. of wickets by an Indian pacer in Test cricket. He is one of the best all-rounders ever to play the sport and remains the only man in the history of Test cricket to have scored 5000 runs and taken more than 400 wickets in his career even after 25 years of his retirement. He led the Indian pace attack for most of his career and was an attacking lower-order batter who scored some important runs with the tail. In 131 Tests he played for the country, he scored 5248 runs with a strike rate of 94.76 with an average of 31.05. He also had 434 wickets with an average of 29.65. 8. Ravichandran Ashwin Ravichandran Ashwin. (Photo Source: Twitter) Ravichandran Ashwin is a very strong contender for this spot. The off-spinner's amazing bowling average and his ability to play long innings down the order add to his weightage. Ashwin initially came into the limelight as a specialist T20 bowler, but his consistent performances for the team at the highest level forced the selectors to include him in the Indian Test team. The Chennai man is one of the main reasons behind the team’s latest success. He is the fastest to reach 250, 300 and 25 fifers in Test cricket and also holds the record for most wickets in a four-match series, with 28 wickets. His ability to bat in the lower order is a bonus to the team and he was even sent to bat before Saha in recent times. Due to his consistent performances, he was named as the ICC Test Cricketer of the Year in 2016. So far, he has played 95 Test matches for the nation and took 492 wickets with an average of 23.69 He also scored 3193 which includes five centuries to his name. 9. Anil Kumble Anil Kumble of Northamptonshire in 1995. (Photo by Bob Thomas/Getty Images) The Karnataka wrist spinner is the highest wicket-taker for India in both Tests and ODIs as is an automatic selection in this XI. Although the unorthodox spinner doesn’t turn the ball much, Kumble tortured batters with the flipper and quick deliveries. With class and elegance mixed, he was a true gentleman of the game. In a match against Pakistan in 1999, Kumble became only the second bowler to take all ten wickets in an innings beside Jim Laker. Then captain Ganguly once refused to travel to Australia without him in the squad and Kumble didn’t disappoint his captain by becoming the leading wicket-taker for the team in that tour. In his 132 matches for India, Kumble picked 619 wickets at an average of 29.65 and an economy of just 2.69. He also had a century to his name and scored 2506 runs in his Test career. 10. Zaheer Khan Zaheer Khan. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images) Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma is a strong contender for this spot. But Zaheer’s ability to swing the new ball and reverse the older one in the subcontinent conditions has bridged him into this list. India are currently having one of the best bowling attacks in the world. But back in 2000, When Zaheer debuted in international cricket India were struggling in their bowling department and Zaheer used to be the lone warrior for them. Injuries kept Zaheer out of the team for a considerable amount of time. If not for injuries, Zaheer was all set to become one of the greatest bowlers ever to play the game with his lethal pace and swing with the ball. In his 92 appearances for India in Test matches, Zaheer managed to pick 311 wickets at an average of 32.94. He was also a handy batter at the end and scored 1231 runs for the team in the longest format of the game. 11. Bishen Singh Bedi Bishen Bedi. (Photo by Patrick Eagar/Patrick Eagar Collection via Getty Images) Adding this orthodox bowler to the group brings some left-arm spice to the side. Bedi played most of his games in the 70s and was an important member of the team at that time. He also captained the Indian team for a considerable amount of time between 1975 to 1978. Bedi’s action while bowling is a bit different to normal as he had a limited run-up and used to flight the ball with a reasonable speed. People who faced his bowling claimed that it was not an easy task to predict his length and score runs against him. In 67 Tests he represented India, Bedi took 266 wickets at an average of 28.71 and with an economy of just 2.14. He still holds the record of most no. of first-class wickets by an Indian with 1560 wickets to his name.

Topics

Featured Section

Current Series

Cricket Fantasy Tips

Cricket Stats

IPL Teams

ICC Rankings

Interviews

Twitter Reactions

Cricket Appeal

Social Tracker

More Links

# Follow Us

Other Sports

All-time greatest Test XI of Team India

India have produced some of the best in their 88-year Test history.

5. Virat Kohli (C)

Latest Articles

IND vs BAN, 1st Test, Day 2 Stats Review

Watch: Virat Kohli's DRS blunder leaves Rohit Sharma stunned

Duleep Trophy 2024, India A vs India C: Day 2 Review