Pujara's All-Time India XI
Cheteshwar Pujara, the former India No. 3, has revealed his all-time India XI, picking a team that features only players he shared the dressing room with during his international career. The selection, made in a recent video for Cricinfo, includes several notable names and leaves out a few high-profile stars.
Pujara chose Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag as his opening pair, with Dravid moving up the order to accommodate Pujara at No. 3. Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and VVS Laxman form the middle order, with Pujara picking Laxman ahead of his former partner Ajinkya Rahane.
The most striking choice was at wicketkeeper, where Pujara preferred Rishabh Pant over MS Dhoni, who was India's captain when Pujara made his Test debut in 2010. Pujara explained his decision by citing his high regard for Pant, with whom he shared several memorable overseas campaigns. Pant has scored 5,805 international runs in 159 matches at an average of 43.82, including eight centuries, while Dhoni scored 4,876 runs in 90 Tests at an average of 38.09, including six centuries.
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin are the spinners, with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami leading the pace attack. Ishant Sharma was named as the 12th man, and Hardik Pandya was mentioned as a potential all-round option depending on conditions.
Statistics cited for the selected players include Dravid's more than 24,000 international runs and 48 centuries, Sehwag's 16,892 runs with 38 international centuries, and Pujara's own 7,246 runs in 108 international matches. Pant was also noted for his Test record, having scored 3,725 runs in 52 Tests with eight centuries and 21 fifties.
Pujara retired from all forms of Indian cricket in August 2025 after a 13-year international career, during which he played 103 Tests and established himself as one of India's most dependable red-ball batters. He is currently working as a commentator and analyst for broadcast networks.
The selection has sparked debate among cricket fans, with many surprised by the omission of Dhoni and Rohit Sharma from the playing XI. However, Pujara's team reflects his personal choices based on his experiences and partnerships on the field.