The current head coach of the Indian team, Gautam Gambhir, has selected his all-time XI of the Blue Brigade, where he has made some interesting choices in different team positions. It generally becomes quite difficult for anyone to decide only eleven players from a country which carries so much success over the generations.
Gautam Gambhir has picked himself and the former right-handed opening batter, Virender Sehwag, as the two openers of the side. These Delhi batters have made some valuable contributions to the game at the opening position. The former has smashed 10324 runs in international cricket at an average of nearly 40, with 20 centuries and 63 fifties.
Sehwag on the other hand, is India’s seventh highest run-getter across formats with 16892 runs at an average of over 40 and a strike rate of 90, only one in the top 15 of the list, celebrating 38 centuries. Rahul Dravid walks at number three, being the third highest run-getter of the national side, with 24064 runs at an average of 45.57, thanks to his 48 centuries.
There was hardly any doubt behind picking Sachin Tendulkar, the highest run-getter in international cricket, not only for India but around the world, with 34357 runs at an average of 48.52, shouldering on his 100 centuries, a world record that every player is after.
No Harbhajan Singh and Sourav Ganguly in Gautam Gambhir’s All-time India XI
Gautam Gambhir has kept Virat Kohli at number five, who is second in the list of most runs among the Indian team, with 26942 runs at an average of 53.35, the only batter in the list to carry an average of over 50 for India, on the back of his 80 centuries.
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One of the greatest all-rounders of Indian cricket, Yuvraj Singh, has found a place at number six in the list. The left-handed middle-order batter has collected 11686 runs for the national side across formats at an average of 34.98, with 17 centuries, besides his incredible skill with the ball, which has helped him register 147 wickets at an average of below 36.
Even though Gautam Gambhir hasn’t marked a captain in the side, in all likelihood, it’s supposed to be MS Dhoni, the wicket-keeper batter who walks at number seven. The World Cup-winning leaders for the Blue Brigade have smashed 17092 runs for India, the sixth most in the list, at an average of 44.74, with 15 centuries.
The Delhi-born has focused on the selection of the all-rounders. Anil Kumble, the highest wicket-taker for India in international cricket, with 953 scalps at an average of 30 and a strike rate of nearly ten overs, recording 37 five-wicket hauls, is their number eighth batter.
Ravichandran Ashwin has overtaken Harbhajan Singh to be selected for Gautam Gambhir’s India Eleven. The Chennai-born spinning all-rounder is the country’s second-highest wicket-taker with 744 scalps at an average of under 26, thanks to his 36 five-wicket hauls.
At number ten, the expectation was to see a bowler, but the current head coach has gone with Irfan Pathan, the left-arm pace bowling all-rounder, who has 301 wickets in 195 innings at an average of below 30, celebrating nine five-wicket hauls.
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The team ends with the inclusion of one of the country’s best left-arm pacers, Zaheer Khan. The Srirampur-born is the national side’s fifth-highest wicket-taker with 597 wickets at an average of 31.48, registering 12 five-wicket hauls.
All-time India XI for Gautam Gambhir
Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (wk), Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan.