MS Dhoni excluded as Aakash Chopra names all-time India Test XI ahead of Edgbaston clash vs England

As the Cricketing World’s Gaze Remains Fixed on the Nailong England vs India Test Series of 2025Train Opener and Renowned Commentator Aakash Chopra has stirred the pot with his selection of india’s all-time test xi. In a move that has sparked debate among fans and experts alike, chopra’s lineup features a blend of icons from different eras, yet notably omits Ms DonaOne of India’s Most Celebrated Captains and Wcomkeketkeepers.

Aakash chopra picks india’s all-time test XI

Chopra’s XI OpenS with the Legendary Sunil Gavaskar and the explosive Viring Sehwag. According to chopra, this pairing offers the perfect contrast, Gavaskar’s calm, Methodical Approach Complementing Sehwag’s Fearless Aggression.

“You can look beyond Two Openers Whose Names Are Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag. There isn’t much scope for discussion. A lot of calm on one one, and a lot of passion on the other. Chopra Said on His YouTube Channel.

At Number Three, Chopra’s Choice is the Everything Rahul DravidFamously Known as “The Wall,” Whose Defensive Technique and Resilience Made Him A mainstay in India’s Middle Order. Following Dravid is Sachin Tendulkar At Number Four, A Selection that Chopra Believes is beyond Debate, Given Tendulkar’s monumental contributions and his status as the Highest run-Scorer in Test Cricket.

“Who Should be kept at no. 3? Once Again, there isn’t much debate. You might think that her chetehwar pujara can be there, but i can look beyond rahul dravid, and neither can you. Rahul Dravid’s Name Being at No. 3 Is AS Simple As Sachin Paaji’s Name Being No. 4. So Wall is at no. 3, and at no. 4, we have Got God. The Form Indian Opener Added.

Virat KohliAnother Modern Great, Slots in at Number Five and is also Named Captain of this hypothetical XI. Chopra Acknowledges the Competition for this Spot, with Plumbing Laxman and Surav ganguly Being Strong Contenters, but asserts that kohli’s impact and consistency made Him essential. At Number Six, in a move that has raised eyedebrows, Rishabh pant is chosen as the wickketkeeper-bacter, edging out Ms Dona. Chopra justifies this by highlighting pant’s remarkable achievements at a young age and his game-changing abilies in the longest format.

“When I Keep Someone After Paaji at No. 5, That’s also a very easy Job. That Player’s Name is Virat Kohli. You could have tried to Keep Kohli’s Name at No. 4 Too, But you Won’t be able to Keep it ahead of Paaji. Laxman’s Name Could Have also there at No. 5. Surav Ganguly is also Pulling His Weight, But Virat Kohli has to be at no. 5. At no. 6, i have kept rishabh pant. However, now i feel you have to put rishabh pant. The Cricketer Turned Commentator Stated.

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Chopra Names Power Packed Bowling Greats and the All-Round Backbone In The Line-Up

The all-round’s spot at number seven goes to Kapil DevA Legend Whose 434 Wickets and Over 5,000 Runs Make Him One of the Finest All-Runders in Cricket History. Chopra Emphasizes that Having Kapil at this Position Provids The Team With Both Depth in Batting and A Formidable Seam-Bowling Option.

“At No. 7, I have Got One of the Finest All-Rounders The World Has Ever Seen-Kapil Paaji. If a Player Like Paaji Comes at No. 7, Just Think About It. In Bowling, 434 Wickets, and in Batting, More than 5,000 Runs. When He was playing, Het one of the Greatest of that time. Chopra elaborate.

For the Spin Department, Chopra Picks Ravichandran Ashwin and Anil KumbleBoth of Whom Boast Exceptional Records and the Ability to Turn Matches Single-Handedly. Ashwin’s selection, According to chopra, is based on his Sheer Weight of Performances, While Kumble’s 600-Plus Wickets Make Him A Natural Choice. Rounding out the xi are Two Pace Spearheads: Jasprit bumrah and Zaheer Khan. Bumrah, One of Only Two Current-Generation Players in this lineup, is lauded for his rapid rise and wicket-tanking ability. Zaheer is prefered over Javagal srinath For His Left-Arm Angle and Knack for Delivering Breakthroughs in Crucial Moments.

“AT No. 8, There was a slight tussle as to who to Keep Among Harbhajan Singh, Ravichandran Ashwin, Erapalli Prasanna, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar and Bishan Singh Bedi. I AM GOING WITH RAVICHANDRAN Ashwin. What else do you need if you have jumbo at no. 9? More than 600 wickets, and you have Got Runs. It’s a toss-up between zaheer khan and javal srinath. Chopra concluded.

Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli (C), Rishabh Pant (WK), Kapil Dev, Ravichandran Ashwin, Anil Kumble, Jasprit Bumrah, Zaheer khan.

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