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Ajinkya Rahane All-Time Best Test Playing 11: Experienced Indian cricket team batter Ajinkya Rahane, who bid farewell to cricket in July 2026, has recently announced his all-time best Indian Test playing 11. The team selected by Rahane has sparked a new debate on social media, as he has excluded two of the modern era's greatest match-winners, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, from his side.
Let’s take a detailed look at which stalwarts have made it into Ajinkya Rahane’s special Test team, and whom he has chosen as his captain and wicketkeeper.
Ajinkya Rahane's All-Time Best Test Playing 11
| No. | Player | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Murali Vijay | Opener |
| 2 | Shikhar Dhawan | Opener |
| 3 | Rahul Dravid | Top-order Batter (The Wall) |
| 4 | Sachin Tendulkar | Middle-order Batter (Master Blaster) |
| 5 | Ajinkya Rahane | Middle-order Batter |
| 6 | MS Dhoni | Captain & Wicketkeeper |
| 7 | Ravindra Jadeja | All-rounder (Spin All-rounder) |
| 8 | R. Ashwin | All-rounder (Spin All-rounder) |
| 9 | Bhuvneshwar Kumar | Fast Bowler |
| 10 | Mohammed Shami | Fast Bowler |
| 11 | Ishant Sharma | Fast Bowler |
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Why Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah Were Left Out
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The most talked-about aspect of Ajinkya Rahane’s all-time XI is his decision to exclude Virat Kohli a great batter of the modern era and Jasprit Bumrah, arguably the best bowler in contemporary cricket. Cricket fans are surprised by the omission of both Kohli and Bumrah, players who have been instrumental in winning numerous Test matches for India.
- Omission of Virat Kohli: Rahane selected the legendary Sachin Tendulkar for the crucial number 4 position, leaving no room for Virat Kohli.
- Exclusion of Jasprit Bumrah: For the fast-bowling attack, Rahane opted for the experience of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, rather than including Bumrah.
Strong Opening and Middle-Order Combination
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For the opening slots, Rahane has chosen the pair of Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, who forged several excellent partnerships for India during overseas tours. Following them, at number 3, is Rahul Dravid often referred to as 'The Wall' of Indian cricket while the 'God of Cricket,' Sachin Tendulkar, occupies the number 4 spot. Ajinkya Rahane himself has placed himself at number 5.
Why Was MS Dhoni Given the Captaincy?
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Ajinkya Rahane began his international career under the leadership of former Indian captain MS Dhoni. Out of respect for Dhoni and in recognition of his leadership skills, Rahane has entrusted the captaincy and wicketkeeping duties of his all-time Test team to MS Dhoni.
Bowling Attack: A Balance of Spin and Pace
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In the bowling department, Rahane has placed the spin responsibilities in the hands of India’s two most successful spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and R. Ashwin. Meanwhile, to bolster the pace attack, he has included Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, and the 'king of swing' Bhuvneshwar Kumar in his playing eleven.
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