Cheteshwar Pujara, the Indian batsman, has picked Virat Kohli as his No. 4 batsman in his combined India and England Test XI for the 21st century. Sachin Tendulkar didn’t make the cut and neither did former India captain MS Dhoni.
India is playing a five-Test series in England. Four players from these two teams are in Pujara’s XI.
Pujara’s last Test was two years ago in the World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval. Now he’s in England as a broadcaster for this series.
For openers Pujara went with Alec Stewart and Rahul Dravid. Stewart played 133 Tests, scored 8463 runs with 15 centuries. He is also the wicketkeeper for this team.
In the middle order Pujara selected Joe Root, Kohli and VVS Laxman. Root is still playing in the series, has 13259 runs from 156 matches with 37 centuries. Kohli played 123 matches and scored 9230 runs with 30 centuries.
Root has scored the most runs in India-England Tests this century, 3099 runs in 33 matches at an average of 57.38.
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Pujara chose balance and batting depth by selecting four all-rounders: Ben Stokes, Andrew Flintoff, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin (who are also the two spinners).
Ashwin has taken the most wickets for India against England this century, 114 wickets in 24 matches at an average of 27.72.
For the last two spots Pujara picked an all-Indian pace attack with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. Matthew Hoggard was the 12th man.
Pujara’s India-England combined Test XI:
Alec Stewart, Rahul Dravid, Joe Root, Virat Kohli, VVS Laxman, Ben Stokes, Andrew Flintoff, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami.
Alastair Cook, who has 2431 runs in 30 Tests against India with 7 centuries, was surprisingly left out. James Anderson, who has 149 wickets from 39 matches against India at an economy of 2.73, was also not picked.
