Sportstar's all-time Indian Test squad

Besides the all-time Indian Test squad, our five-member Selection Committee decided to name three XIs, one each for a five-Test series in England, Australia, and at home.

India's all-time Test squad chosen by our five-member Selection Committee.

Selecting an all-time Indian Test squad involves multiple variables — cricketing eras and habits of mind, uncovered and protected pitches, playing conditions, quality of opposition, team strength and resources, leadership, and so on.

Then there is the problem of quality versus quantity.

Our five-member Selection Committee, comprising cricket columnist Suresh Menon (chairman), Mohandas Menon (statistical anchor), N. Ram, Chairman, KSL Group, and cricket correspondents, G. Viswanath and Vijay Lokapally, was determined not to indulge in subjective excesses.

Even if the selection was primarily an exercise in imagination, injuries needed to be factored in and players had to be picked for all conditions. Besides the all-time Indian Test squad, the committee decided to name three XIs, one each for a five-Test series in England, Australia, and at home.

India’s All-Time Best Test Squad (from 285 players capped so far):

The 15-member squad: 1. Sunil Gavaskar, 2. Virender Sehwag, 3. Rahul Dravid, 4. Sachin Tendulkar, 5. Vijay Hazare, 6. V. V. S. Laxman, 7. Kapil Dev, 8. M. S. Dhoni (wicket-keeper), 9. Anil Kumble (Captain), 10. Zaheer Khan, 11. Vinoo Mankad, 12. Bishan Singh Bedi, 13. E. A. S. Prasanna, 14. J. Srinath, and 15. Virat Kohli.

Special mention: B. S. Chandrasekhar, S. Kirmani, Harbhajan Singh, G. R. Viswanath, Sourav Ganguly, M. A. K. Pataudi, S. Venkataraghavan, Vijay Merchant, Mohd. Azharuddin, Vijay Manjrekar and R. Ashwin.

Playing XI (in India): 1. Sunil Gavaskar, 2. Virender Sehwag, 3. Rahul Dravid, 4. Sachin Tendulkar, 5. V. V. S. Laxman, 6. Vinoo Mankad, 7. Kapil Dev, 8. M. S. Dhoni, 9. Anil Kumble, 10. Zaheer Khan and 11. E. A. S. Prasanna; 12th man: Virat Kohli.

Playing XI (in England): 1. Sunil Gavaskar, 2. Virender Sehwag, 3. Rahul Dravid, 4. Sachin Tendulkar, 5. Vijay Hazare, 6. Kapil Dev, 7. M. S. Dhoni, 8. Anil Kumble, 9. Zaheer Khan, 10. J. Srinath and 11. Bishan Singh Bedi; 12th man: Virat Kohli.

Playing XI (in Australia): 1. Sunil Gavaskar, 2. Virender Sehwag, 3. Rahul Dravid, 4. Sachin Tendulkar, 5. Vijay Hazare, 6. V. V. S. Laxman, 7. Kapil Dev, 8. M. S. Dhoni, 9. Anil Kumble, 10. Zaheer Khan and 11. E. A. S. Prasanna; 12th man: Virat Kohli.