India’s veteran cricketer Harbhajan Singh has picked his all-time Test playing XI. His playing XI is decorated with the names of legends that have either played with or against the spinner. Harbhajan himself has last played the Test match in 2015.
The off-spinner was once an indispensable part of the Indian team. He is famous for handing India a famous victory in 2001 against Australia at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. But soon as time passed his form dipped gradually and he was replaced by none other than veteran off-spinner – Ravichandran Ashwin.
No Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni in Harbhajan Singh’s all-time Test Playing XI:
While talking to Espncricinfo, he chose his all-time playing XI. Interestingly, neither Virat Kohli nor MS Dhoni was introduced in this impressive list.
Harbhajan picked Virender Sehwag and Matthew Hayden as the opening pair of his team while the middle-order consisted of Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and South Africa’s all-rounder Jacques Kallis. He went on to praise the former Indian cricketer Dravid.
“He is the most dependable batsman that I’ve ever played against or bowled to. In any condition, whether you talk about playing fast bowling, seam bowling or spin, he had the technique to cope with it,” Harbhajan Singh on Rahul Dravid.
The spinner picked Australia’s Ricky Ponting as the captain of his side. Harbhajan said that Virat Kohli, Brian Lara and maybe Kevin Pietersen were close for this spot but he went for Ponting.
For the wicketkeeping role, he picked Sri Lanka’s great Kumar Sangakkara over Adam Gilchrist. He said that Gilchrist was a great player but Sangakkara’s record can not be ignored. Sri Lankan cricketer averages 57 in Tests and is the most decorated player in the cricketing history.
In the bowling department, Harbhajan picked three pacers Shaun Pollock, Wasim Akram, and Glenn McGrath and only one spinner Shane Warne.
Have a look at Harbhajan Singh’s all-time Test Playing XI:
Virender Sehwag, Matthew Hayden, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Kumar Sangakkara, Shaun Pollock, Shane Warna, Wasim Akram, Glenn McGrath