Gautam Gambhir snubs Rohit, Bumrah in his all-time India XI
Gautam Gambhir, the current head coach of India's cricket team, has unveiled his selection for the all-time best Indian XI. The lineup includes cricketing legends such as Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni but notably excludes current captain Rohit Sharma and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. The revelation was made in a video shared on sportskeeda's YouTube channel. Here are further details.
Gambhir's picks for opening and middle order
Gambhir has chosen himself and Virender Sehwag to open the innings, both of whom are celebrated for their significant contributions to Indian cricket across all formats. At number three, he has placed Rahul Dravid, often referred to as "The Wall" due to his consistent performance. Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli have been picked at numbers four and five respectively, further strengthening the middle order.
Yuvraj Singh and MS Dhoni secure spots
Yuvraj Singh, one of India's finest all-rounders known for his spin bowling prowess, has been chosen by Gambhir. He played a pivotal role in India's victories in the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 World Cup. MS Dhoni, arguably India's best wicketkeeper-batter and most successful captain, also finds a place in Gambhir's all-time best XI.
Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin lead spin attack
Anil Kumble and Ravichandran Ashwin have been selected as the two spinners in Gambhir's all-time best XI. Kumble is India's leading wicket-taker in Test cricket with 619 scalps, while Ashwin is the second-highest wicket-taker for India in Tests. Both have made significant contributions across all formats of the game.
Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan chosen as fast bowlers
For the pace attack, Gambhir has chosen Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan. Both left-arm pacers have made significant contributions to the team in all three formats of the game. Pathan's selection over Bumrah may be due to his batting skills, aligning with Gambhir's focus on enhancing the all-round performance of Indian players.
Gautam Gambhir's all-time best India XI
Gautam Gambhir's all-time best India XI: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni (wk), Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, Irfan Pathan, Zaheer Khan.
