Cheteshwar Pujara, a seasoned Indian batsman, recently named his best Test-format Indian squad. Notably, the red-ball expert selected his all-time Indian Test XI and made some intriguing selections. Furthermore, by doing this, Cheteshwar Pujara went one step further and selected Rahul Dravid, the renowned former India coach and batter, in place of himself in the number three spot.
The last time the Gujarat-born hitter appeared for Team India was in the 2023 World Test Championship Final (WTC) matchup with Australia. Although he did not pick himself, Pujara believed that Dravid was a far superior batter to him. He began by selecting Virender Sehwag, the explosive former opener, and Sunil Gavaskar, the former India icon, as the openers.
He stated when selecting the openers that the two hitters’ playing styles and mentalities differ greatly from one another. The ‘Sultan of Multan’ was renowned for his explosive gameplay, whereas Gavaskar was perceived as having a placid manner. In addition, he modestly responded that Dravid, often known as “The Wall,” was a far superior batter to him when asked why he did not choose himself.
“The openers are an odd combination; both Virender Sehwag and Sunil Gavaskar are quite aggressive, but they are also calm and collected batsmen. This can be done in a variety of ways. Rahul Dravid, number three,” Pujara stated exclusively on Sports Tak’s Vikrant Unfiltered show.
“He has improved as a player. Without a doubt,” he continued.
He then selected the former great Sachin Tendulkar as number four, and Virat Kohli as the next man in by selection. He explained that he chose them based on their debut years and that Tendulkar was unquestionably the senior pro while he was taking their names. He chose MS Dhoni, the former Indian captain, to fill the position of wicketkeeper. He also gave Rishabh Pant his name, but he liked Dhoni more. VVS Laxman was another marathon hitter in the middle order.
“Rishabh Pant and MS Dhoni are close. Since Rishabh Pant is improving as a cricket player, it’s MS Dhoni right now. However, I hope that by the conclusion of his career, it can be Rishabh Pant,” Cheteshwar Pujara continued.
In the bowling department, the 37-year-old selected Kapil Dev, a former world champion and great all-rounder. Pujara couldn’t have asked for a greater partner than the contemporary legend Jasprit Bumrah. In addition, he selected two excellent spinners, Ravichandran Ashwin and Anil Kumble, respectively.
The legacy of Cheteshwar Pujara and Dravid at Test No. 3
Regarding Rahul Dravid and Cheteshwar Pujara’s Test careers, both players have long played for India at number three batting position with great efficiency. Dravid amassed an incredible 13,288 runs throughout the course of his lengthy and distinguished career in 164 Test matches, whereas Cheteshwar Pujara has only managed 7,195 runs in the red-ball format thus far. Regarding the total amount of hundreds, Cheteshwar Pujara has 19 Test tonnes for India, compared to 36 for Dravid.
Both of the best players have a talent for remaining at the crease for extended periods of time. Their highest individual test scores made this very clear. In Rawalpindi, Dravid amassed an enormous 270 runs against Pakistan. Pujara’s undefeated 206* against England in Ahmedabad stands as his highest Test score to date.
Visit this link to view Pujara’s all-time Test XI:
Virat Kohli, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni (week), Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kapil Dev, and Jasprit Bumrah.
India
