ALL-TIME INDIA TEST XI

ALL-TIME INDIA TEST XI 

1. VIJAY MERCHANT 

2. SUNIL GAVASKAR (VC)

3. VIRENDER SEHWAG 

4. SACHIN TENDULKAR 

5. VIJAY HAZARE

6. VINOO MANKAD (C)

7. FAROKH ENGINEER (W)

8. KAPIL DEV 

9. AMAR SINGH

10. MOHAMMAD NISSAR

11. SUBHAS GUPTE 

RATIONALE OF SELECTION :

Merchant and Gavaskar being technically the soundest were obvious choices for the opener's slots.

The one-down batsman must ideally be an aggressive player who can take the opposition bowling apart. Hence, Sehwag was the automatic choice who pipped past V.V.S. Laxman to the no. 3 position. 

There can be no argument about the next man at no. 4. It is virtually unanimous a choice for any selection committee. Tendulkar remains nonpareil at no. 4.

Vijay Hazare scored a century in each innings against Lindwall and Miller at their peak in Australia in 1946-47. Moreover, he was a useful medium-pacer whose bowling can give variety to the attack. Hence, he was preferred to the likes of Dravid, Vishwanath, Laxman, Azharuddin and Kohli.

India's greatest ever all-rounder dons the no. 6 position as captain of the team. His exploits are too well known to recount. His choice here was automatic. Mankad was the ultimate professional of the game.

Engineer is my choice as wicket-keeper ahead of the likes of Dhoni, Kirmani, P. Sen and others, primarily because of his better batting ability under all conditions, thanks to his lifelong experience in County Cricket. Because of this exposure he was equally adept in keeping to spin and pace alike. A fast scorer, he also can take in his stride the second new ball along with Mankad in case the occasion arises in a long Indian innings.

None can dispute the mercurial Kapil Dev's selection to the side. Hence, rationalisation on this count seems unnecessary.

Amar Singh and Mohammad Nissar proved a lethal fast bowling combination in India's maiden tour of England, drawing accolades from no less a batting authority than Wally Hammond. They were automatic choices as well to open the attack with the new ball.

The last position in the line-up was a toss up between the two great leg-spinners, Gupte and Chandrasekhar. Gupte paired with Mankad in a devastating spinning combination so much so that Garry Sobers called him the greatest among the leg-spinners he had played against during his long playing career. Chandrasekhar gas won Test matches singlehandedly for India at home and abroad but I went for Gupte as Chandra's compatriot, the great off-spinner, Erapalli Prasanna -- who Ian Chappell has hailed az the greatest he has seen -- also called Gupte the greatest. Sohas Jim Laker who knew a bit about the spinning ball. Hence, Gupte googlied past Chandra.

Written by Sugata Bose