It is a very well-known fact that Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, is an ardent cricket fan. He’s followed the game from his childhood on different mediums and often puts out his opinions regarding Indian cricket on social media.
With so much buzz on the internet about the best Indian players or the best elevens of all time, Shashi Tharoor also jumped on the train and aired his best Indian Test eleven, in his latest book, ‘Pride, Prejudice, and Punditry’.
The politician, though, didn’t forget to give the caveat that his eleven is based on since the time he started watching cricket, in 1963. He also stated that he has picked the players to play the Rest of the World at Lord’s, the Mecca of cricket.
The batting order picks itself and not only for Tharoor, but the top five of Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli will be in any Indian fan’s Test eleven.
Tharoor believes that any Indian Test eleven is “unthinkable” without Gavaskar; to partner the legendary opener is Sehwag, the first Indian to score a triple century. Tharoor felt that there was “no debate” regarding the next two spots: ‘The Wall’ Dravid at 3 and Tendulkar at 4, India’s top two leading Test run-scorers.
Next is Virat Kohli, the current Indian skipper, who Tharoor believes thet “he might yet eclipse the unchallengeable Sachin,” but has already immortalized himself.
Shashi Tharoor has opted for MS Dhoni as the wicket-keeper and captain of his Test side, followed by legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev, who “would bring a zest to the line-up that would infuse energy and zip into the side”.
Adding to Kapil are the four bowlers. Anil Kumble, India’s leading Test wicket-taker, who took 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan becoming only the second bowler to do so. Kumble is an “automatic pick”, Tharoor says.
Three pacers – Zaheer Khan, with his left-arm angle, swing, and guile; the whippy Javagal Srinath; and the still-unplayable Jasprit Bumrah – makes into the Politician’s Test eleven.
He also named a few reserves who couldn’t make it into his first eleven and picked Ravindra Jadeja as the 12th man for his brilliantly agile substitute fielding.
Shashi Tharoor Greatest Indian Test XI: Gavaskar, Sehwag, Dravid, Tendulkar, Kohli, Dhoni (captain & wk), Kapil Dev, Kumble, Zaheer, Srinath (weather permitting), Bumrah.
Reserves: Azhar, Laxman, Rohit, Ashwin, and Bedi. Twelfth man: Ravindra Jadeja
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