Aakash Chopra names his all-time Indian Test XI; Rishabh Pant included

Former Indian cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra took to his YouTube channel to pick Team India’s all-time Test XI as India is currently taking on England in the five-match Test series in the new World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle.

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Interestingly, Chopra went on to pick the former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar and the former dashing opener Virender Sehwag as two openers in his all-time Indian Test XI. Moving further, he has picked Rahul Dravid at No.3.

"You can't look beyond two openers whose names are Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag. Who should be kept at No. 3? I can't look beyond Rahul Dravid, and neither can you," Chopra said on his YouTube channel. 

Furthermore, Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary former Indian cricketer, who retired from the longest format of the game in 2013, is all set to take up the No.4 spot in Aakash Chopra’s all-time Indian Test XI.

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"Rahul Dravid's name being at No. 3 is as simple as Sachin paaji's name being at No. 4. So Wall is at No. 3, and at No. 4, we have got God. There is no question or doubt about Paaji's name being at No. 4," he added.

Moving forward, Chopra has picked the former Indian captain Virat Kohli at No.5. Also, Rishabh Pant, the keeper-batter, who has been exceptional in Tests, makes it to the No. 6 spot as the keeper-batter in the XI.

"You could have tried to keep Kohli's name at No. 4 too, but you won't be able to keep it ahead of Sachin paaji. At No. 6, I have Rishabh Pant. When I had made the team three or four years ago, I had kept MS Dhoni's name. However, now I feel you have to put Rishabh Pant," Chopra observed.

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Moving further, Kapil Dev, the 1983 World Cup-winning captain, makes it to the seventh spot while the former off-spinner Ravi Ashwin takes up the eighth spot in the XI. Also, Anil Kumble completes the spin attack with Zaheer Khan and Jasprit Bumrah forming the pace battery.

"At No. 7, I have got one of the finest all-rounders the world has ever seen - Kapil paaji. At No. 8,  I am going with Ravichandran Ashwin. What else do you need if you have Jumbo at No. 9? Imagine Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin bowling in tandem. Only two fast bowlers are left. One is Jasprit Bumrah, last but not least, I am going with Zaheer Khan because you get a left-armer,” he concluded.

Aakash Chopra's all-time India Test XI: Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Kapil Dev, Ravi Ashwin, Anil Kumble, Jasprit Bumrah, Zaheer Khan.

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