Rahane’s All-Time India Test XI Sparks Debate, Leaves Out Kohli and Bumrah

Rahane Names Himself in All-Time India Test XI, Leaves Out Kohli and Bumrah

Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane has sparked discussion with his all-time Indian Test XI, leaving out star players Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah while including himself in the playing eleven. The former India vice-captain selected Sachin Tendulkar over Kohli at No. 4 and chose a pace attack comprising Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Rahane revealed his team during an interaction with Sony Sports Network, where he was asked to select an all-time India Test XI featuring players he had played alongside in international or domestic cricket. His choices also excluded Rohit Sharma, with Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan opening the innings.

Rahane placed Rahul Dravid at No. 3 and Tendulkar at No. 4, before naming himself at No. 5. Former India captain MS Dhoni was selected at No. 6 and entrusted with both captaincy and wicketkeeping duties.

Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were included to strengthen the spin-bowling and all-round departments, while Bhuvneshwar, Shami and Ishant completed the pace attack.

RAHANE INCLUDES HIMSELF, PICKS DHONI AS CAPTAIN

One of the notable aspects of Rahane’s selection was his decision to include himself in the middle order. He chose a combination of former teammates who featured alongside him during different phases of his cricketing career.

Dhoni’s selection as captain also reflected the connection between the two players. The former India skipper was Rahane’s first captain in international cricket, making his inclusion a significant personal choice.

At the top, Rahane opted for Vijay and Dhawan, followed by the experienced batting combination of Dravid and Tendulkar. His preferred lineup, however, did not feature Kohli or Rohit, two prominent figures in India’s Test setup over the past decade.

While Tendulkar occupied the crucial No. 4 position, Rahane backed himself to bat at No. 5, ahead of Dhoni in the middle order.

BUMRAH LEFT OUT OF RAHANE’S PACE ATTACK

Rahane’s bowling selections also attracted attention, particularly his decision to leave out Bumrah. Instead, he named Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma as his three specialist fast bowlers.

The trio played important roles in India’s Test campaigns during the late 2010s, when the team developed a strong pace attack and recorded significant overseas victories.

Bumrah, meanwhile, has established himself as one of India’s leading fast bowlers and a key performer in Test cricket. However, Rahane’s selection criteria were restricted to players he had shared the field with in international or domestic cricket.

Ashwin and Jadeja rounded out the bowling combination, offering spin options and all-round capabilities to complement the selected pace trio.

RAHANE’S INTERNATIONAL CAREER

Rahane announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in July 2026, bringing an end to a career spanning all three international formats. His final international appearance came during India’s two-Test series against the West Indies in 2023.

The right-handed batter finished his Test career with 5,077 runs in 85 matches at an average of 38.46. He also scored 2,962 runs in 90 One-Day Internationals and 375 runs in 20 T20 Internationals.

One of the defining moments of Rahane’s career came during India’s 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign in Australia. Leading the side in the absence of regular captain Kohli for much of the series, Rahane helped India secure a memorable 2-1 series victory.

India bounced back after losing the opening Test in Adelaide, where the team was dismissed for just 36 runs in the second innings. The visitors eventually sealed the series with a historic win at Brisbane, ending Australia’s long unbeaten run at the Gabba.

Rahane’s all-time Test XI brings together several prominent players from his career, with Dhoni leading a side featuring Tendulkar, Dravid, Ashwin, Jadeja and three experienced Indian fast bowlers.

Ajinkya Rahane’s All-Time India Test XI

Murali Vijay

Shikhar Dhawan

Rahul Dravid

Sachin Tendulkar

Ajinkya Rahane

MS Dhoni (Captain and Wicketkeeper)

Ravindra Jadeja

Ravichandran Ashwin

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Mohammed Shami

Ishant Sharma