No place for Dravid, Kumble in Indian dream team

Rahul Dravid, with the highest batting average, and Anil Kumble, with by far the highest number of Test wickets for India

Rahul Dravid, with the highest batting average (57.46), and Anil Kumble, with by far the highest number of Test wickets (552) for India, do not figure in the all-time great Indian XI chosen by an elite panel to mark 75 years of Indian Test cricket.

Sourav Ganguly, spinners BS Chandrasekhar and Bishen Singh Bedi also do not make it to the team selected by eight former Indian captains and a panel chaired by EAS Prasanna.

To mark 75 years since India played their first cricket match against England in 1932, eight former Indian captains — Gundappa Vishwanath, Dilip Vengsarkar, S Venkataraghavan, K Srikk-anth, Ajit Wadekar, Nari Contractor, Syed Kirmani and Abbas Ali Baig — were asked to pick their all-time India best Test XI.

Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin, who left the game under a cloud, did not figure in any of the teams chosen by the ex-captains but the panel included him with Prasanna explaining that the Hyderabad player was the most elegant batsman who fitted in both conventional and unconventional cricket besides being one of the greatest fielders.

Explaining the selection, Prasanna said that the panel had taken note of the players’ record, nature of opposition, talent and the balance of the side while finalising the team.

“It’s a well-balanced team in any given condition. It is an objective-oriented team. What I have considered is a bowling combination capable of taking 20 wickets in a Test match under any given conditions with least number of runs conceded.”

On the choice of Gavaskar as captain, Prasanna said “he is a very intelligent captain. He is such a good CEO, like of any organisation, who does not hesitate to express his views. This man has got capabilities in addition to his own quality as a batsman. I admire this fellow.”

All time best Test team

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Sunil Gavaskar (captain), Vinoo Mankad, Vijay Hazare (vice-captain), Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammed Azharuddin, GR Vishwanath, Kapil Dev, Syed Kirmani (wk), Javagal Srinath, EAS Prasanna, Subash Gupte. 12th Man: Vijay Manjrekar. Reserves: Mohammed Nissar, BS Chandrasekhar, Rahul Dravid.