Revealed: Shane Warne’s greatest Indian Test XI

Tags: India, Shane Keith Warne, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag

Published on: Dec 16, 2015

Aussie spin wizard has named his greatest Indian Test eleven. There weren’t many surprises in the team. So, here’s a look at the players he has picked, and their corresponding Test records

Aussie spin wizard has named his greatest Indian Test eleven. There weren’t many surprises in the team. So, here’s a look at the players he has picked, and their corresponding Test records.

Openers

Virender Sehwag: The swashbuckling batsman featured in 104 Tests and smashed 8586 runs at an average of 49.34 with 23 hundreds and 32 fifties. Sehwag has a highest score of 319 and an amazing strike rate of 82.23. Sehwag smashed as many as 91 sixes in his Test career.

Navjot Sidhu: Rather surprisingly, Warner has picked Sidhu over Sunil Gavaskar. Of course, Warnie never played against Sunny, and Sidhu’s great record against the leg-spinner possibly tipped the scales in his favour. Sidhu played 51 Tests and scored 3202 runs at an average of 42.13 with 9 hundreds and 15 fifties.

Middle order

Rahul Dravid: As expected, ‘The Wall’ comes in at number three in Warne’s XI. Dravid has an exceptional Test record, having played 164 Tests, scoring 13288 runs at an average of 52.31 with 36 hundreds and 63 fifties. Dravid finished with a highest Test score of 270.

Sachin Tendulkar: Closing his eyes and walking in at number four is the ‘little master’. Tendulkar finished with exactly 200 Tests, amassing 15921 runs with 51 hundreds and 68 fifties. Tendulkar finished with a highest Test score of 248 not out.

Sourav Ganguly: Warne has chosen his old nemesis as captain of his greatest Indian Test eleven. Ganguly finished his career with 113 Tests, scoring 7212 runs at an average of 42.17 with 16 hundreds and 35 fifties. Ganguly finished with a highest of 239.

Mohammad Azharuddin: Warne said he was confused between Azhar and VVS Laxman for the number six slot, and eventually went for the former. Azhar played 99 Tests, scoring 6215 runs at an average of 45 with 22 hundreds and 21 fifties.

All-rounder

Kapil Dev: The all-rounder’s slot expectedly goes to Kapil. He played 131 Tests, claiming 434 wickets at an average of 29.64. With the bat, he scored 5248 runs, averaging 31. Dev claimed 23 five wicket hauls and has eight Test tons to his name.

Wicket-keeper

MS Dhoni: He earns the keeper’s slot. Dhoni played 90 Tests and scored 4876 runs averaging 38 with six tons, and a highest of 224. Behind the wickets, he claimed 256 catches, and effected 38 stumpings.

Bowlers

Anil Kumble: The legendary Indian leggie played 132 Tests and claimed 619 wickets at an average of 29.65, with 35 five-fors and 8 ten-wicket hauls. Kumble also has a Test hundred and five fifties to his name.

Harbhajan Singh: He may have run out of favour with selectors, but finds a place in Warnie’s eleven. Harbhajan has played 103 Tests, and has claimed 417 wickets at an average 32.46 with 25 five-fors and five ten-wicket hauls. He also has two Test tons and nine fifties to his name.

Javagal Srinath: The list is completed by Srinath. The former India pacer finished with 67 Tests, and claimed 236 wickets at an average of 30.49. He claimed 10 five-fors and one ten-wicket haul.

(Note: Warne picked Laxman as the 12th man in the team)

--By A Cricket Analyst

Related News