Cheteshwar Pujara, the Indian cricketer, recently picked his all-time Indian Test XI. The 37-year-old confessed that choosing between MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant for the wicketkeeper role was a tough decision, but he eventually went with the former. Pujara also left himself out and went ahead with Rahul Dravid.
Pujara talked about the wicketkeeper dilemma, mentioning that while both Dhoni and Pant are top performers, he favoured the legendary cricketer for the role
“MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant share a close bond. I am going with MS Dhoni leads, but Rishabh Pant is steadily improving as a cricketer. I hope that by the time Pant’s career comes to an end, I can say he has become a better player,” Pujara said on Sports Tak.
He was also questioned about his preference for Rahul Dravid. “The opening pair is an interesting mix. Sunil Gavaskar is calm and composed, while Virender Sehwag is more aggressive. This brings a unique dynamic. As for number three, it’s Rahul Dravid,” he added.
“He has undoubtedly been the superior player.” Pujara placed Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and VVS Laxman at 4, 5, and 6 in his all-time Indian Test XI, with MS Dhoni taking the gloves. For the bowling lineup, Pujara selected Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Jasprit Bumrah.
Pujara’s all-time Indian Test XI
Virender Sehwag, Sunil Gavaskar, Virat Kohli, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kapil Dev