For a team ranked No.1 in the ICC Test rankings and is set to play the World Test Championship final, India have a well-assembled unit with very little room for further improvement in terms of its overall balance.

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However, there’s no harm in pushing the boundaries of imagination: we set up a hypothetical situation for Wisden India readers, where international transfers were allowed in world cricket and asked them to choose one Test player from another team to play for India. The response was a wide range of names of modern superstars, all of whom, according to fans, would end up being a great fit in the Indian Test team.

English players comfortably led the popularity charts:

Ben Stokes

“Unstoppable”, “great fit”, “incredible” – clearly the crowd favourite. With India missing a genuine seaming all-rounder, there’s probably no better name than Stokes to fill the void. While being an additional bowling option, he is a giant presence with the bat down the order. Imagine a line-up where Stokes comes in at five and Rishabh Pant at six. Also, the fielding quality rises exponentially with his entry. Enough said.

Pat Cummins

https://twitter.com/GiveItWoodehhh/status/1396316669077688321

Probably the next most mentioned player after Stokes, Cummins is unarguably one of the best quicks of the modern era. Since his debut, his bowling average is the best among all bowlers who have bowled in at least 25 innings. Lethal with the new ball, Cummins has enough skill to pip any of India’s first-choice bowlers for a spot in the playing XI.

Kane Williamson

Another fan-favourite, Williamson is both an excellent batsman and leader, who’s constructed an exceptional Test career while being just 30. His calm demeanour would perfectly complement Kohli’s expressive style, making it a dream leadership group.

Steve Smith

https://twitter.com/whyispraddy/status/1396368790481514497

https://twitter.com/bob_rel/status/1396322627954769921

Imagine having one-half of the fab four batting for you at three and four. Smith’s Test credentials cannot be overstated, and he’s cruised into a different mode since the second half of the last decade. He walks into any Test XI (maybe even the all-time ones) with his whippy style, run-hungry approach and massive track record. This sure would be a steal.

James Anderson

https://twitter.com/CEOofURP/status/1396439245745659913

The fact that James Anderson is still in high demand despite being 38 speaks volumes of his longevity and ever-growing stature. India possesses a world-class pace attack suited for almost every condition, but there’s always room for a bowler of Anderson’s quality. Anderson is already a touch above the rest in conditions conducive to swing, but reaffirmed his versatility with a fine showing on dusty Indian pitches in the recent series in India. Anderson from one end and Jasprit Bumrah from another would be a nightmare for batsmen.

Neil Wagner

If there’s one distinct element missing in India’s pace attack, it’s a quality left-arm quick. Not many do the job as consistently and effectively as Wagner. A skilful operator who can bowl tirelessly for hours, Wagner would really stand out amid the army of India’s right-arm quicks.

AB de Villiers

His South Africa career might have (finally) ended, but de Villiers continues to be a massive crowd-puller in India, owing to his exceptional IPL career. Even at 37, he’s batting better than several top names in the format. Test cricket is a completely different challenge, but de Villiers has thrived in it in the past and would fit bring an element of freewheeling intent in India’s top-four. Also, the prospect of extending his iconic IPL partnership with Kohli in whites is quite the bonus. Time to restart comeback conversations?

Other popular names included Rashid Khan, Jofra Archer, Sam Curran.

Does India really need a transfer?

For quite a few fans, India is a self-sufficient side that doesn’t really require an outside inclusion. Given the extent of India’s all-format depth, selectors too would be happy staying away from the exercise of picking more world-class players.

https://twitter.com/Pranjal_King_18/status/1396352044970115072

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