Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane has sparked debate by excluding Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from his all-time India Test XI, a selection strictly limited to players he has shared the field with in international or domestic cricket. The 38-year-old, who retired from all forms of cricket in July, named MS Dhoni as both captain and wicketkeeper, citing the former skipper as his first international boss. This constraint naturally sidelined the current generation’s top-order heavyweights, forcing Rahane to look back at a specific era of Indian cricket that defined his own career.
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The batting lineup features a nostalgic blend of legends and contemporaries, with Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan opening the innings. Rahane placed Rahul Dravid at No. 3 and Sachin Tendulkar at No. 4, honoring the two pillars of Indian batting during his formative years. He selected himself at No. 5, with Dhoni batting at No. 6. The all-round duties were assigned to Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, while the pace attack comprised Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, and Ishant Sharma. This trio of fast bowlers was instrumental in ushering in a pace-focused era in 2018, securing several memorable overseas Test victories.
Rahane’s decision highlights the subjective nature of “all-time” selections when filtered through personal experience. Although Kohli and Rohit are statistically among India’s most prolific batters in recent history, their absence underscores Rahane’s focus on camaraderie and shared history. After being dropped from the Test squad following the 2023 West Indies series, Rahane’s retirement marked the end of a distinguished career, leaving behind a legacy defined by his resilience and this unique, personal tribute to his cricketing peers.
Source: Yahoo Sports
