Two cricketing powerhouses with an unending stream of great talent, India and Pakistan have produced some of the finest Test cricketers of all time. We assemble a combined Test XI that features the best of both countries.
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It’s a team stacked with world-class batsmen and legendary fast bowlers, including two all-rounders that are among the greatest ever. The spin department might look a bit thin, but given the strength of the pace attack, the sole spinner wouldn’t really require a lot of support.
Sunil Gavaskar
125 Tests, 10,122 runs @ 51.12, 34 100s, HS: 236*
Arguably the greatest opener there has ever been, Gavaskar was the fulcrum of India’s batting through his 16-year career. An artist of the highest order, he scored more runs than anyone in the Seventies. To date, no opener has scored more Test centuries than him.
Rahul Dravid
164 Tests, 13,288 runs @ 52.30, 36 100s, HS: 270
Out of position as opener given the extent of batting wealth, Dravid was the sophisticated superstar of the new India, armed with near-perfect technique and a hunger to excel. One of the top three Test batsmen of the 2000s, he retired as India’s second-highest run-getter and the second-best in terms of centuries.
Javed Miandad
124 Tests, 8,832 runs @ 52.57, 23 100s, HS: 280*
The engine of Pakistan’s batting for two decades, Miandad’s genius saw him become one of the country’s greatest players. An enigmatic cricketer who was also an astute leader, Miandad held the Pakistan record for most Test runs for 12 years and was also the leading run-scorer in India-Pakistan matches.
Sachin Tendulkar
200 Tests, 15,921 runs @ 53.78, 51 100s, HS: 248*
No all-time list is complete without Tendulkar, whose excellence lay far beyond his groundbreaking numbers. Right from the time he took guard as a 16-year-old against Pakistan, Tendulkar pushed boundaries to become a driving force in Indian cricket and ended with almost every major batting record by the time he was done.
Younis Khan
118 Tests, 10,099 runs @ 52.05, 34 100s, HS: 313
Pakistan’s leading run-getter in Tests, Younis checks every box when discussing modern batting greats. Built to excel under adversity, Younis pulled Pakistan out of trouble on several occasions. In all, he scored a triple century and five double-centuries, and remains the only Pakistan cricketer to surpass 10,000 Test runs.
MS Dhoni (wk)
90 Tests, 4,876 runs @ 38.09, 6 100s, HS: 224, Catches: 256, Stumpings: 38
Dhoni might have been a far better white-ball cricketer, but he was an influential presence in the Test setup too, and among wicketkeeper-batsmen, not many matched his overall skill-set. An effective keeper, Dhoni brought his blistering batting style to red-ball cricket and used his home-grown technique to taste success for close to a decade.
Imran Khan (c)
88 Tests, 3,807 runs @ 37.69, 6 100s, HS: 136; 362 wickets @ 22.81, BBI: 8-58
Imran was Kapil’s contemporary in world cricket, but unrivalled in terms of his aura and impact. What set him apart from the rest was his ageless brilliance, and he continued to be a massive presence even in his late 30s, ending as Pakistan’s leading wicket-taker in Tests.
Kapil Dev
131 Tests, 5,248 runs @ 31.05, 8 100s, HS: 163; 434 wickets @ 29.64, BBI: 9-83
India’s all-time hero, Kapil comfortably holds the dual-title of being their greatest seamer and all-rounder. His bowling accuracy, swing and stamina combined to make him Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker at one point. Not too far behind was his gutsy batting style, built around unmatched flair and power.
Wasim Akram
104 Tests, 414 wickets @ 23.62, BBI: 7-119
A magician with a ball in hand, Akram’s imprint on the game is unlikely to be matched by any other quick. When on song, Akram was virtually unplayable, and fortunately for Pakistan, there were many such days. Barring South Africa, Akram’s bowling average was below 30 in every country he visited, and he reserved his best for home where he took over 70 per cent of his Test wickets. He also helps elongate the tail with his punchy batting.
Anil Kumble
132 Tests, 619 wickets @ 29.65, BBI: 10-74
The indomitable spearhead of India’s bowling throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Kumble was a craftsman with the resolve of a fighter. On tracks that gave little help to spinners, Kumble ran through line-ups with his unique style and even ended up claiming all ten against Pakistan in one innings.
Waqar Younis
87 Tests, 373 wickets @ 23.56, BBI: 7-76
Completing the dream pace attack is Pakistan’s fiery delight, and one-half of an iconic new-ball pairing. Waqar could trample a batting line-up almost single-handedly, and brought back the art of bowling fast and full, often with a tinge of reverse-swing. Injuries curtailed his career, but he still ended up as the country’s second-highest wicket-taker.
