Former Indian opener and now a commentator Aakash Chopra has picked a combined Australia-India Test team. Big players like Rahul Dravid, Ricky Ponting and Virat Kohli couldn’t make the cut into Chopra’s combined team. The reputed commentator picked his players based on their performances between the two teams.
The commentator also picked the players of his generation onwards. Chopra selected Virender Sehwag and Matthew Hayden as the two openers of the team. Sehwag scored 1821 runs in 21 Test matches against Australia at an average of 41.38.
Hayden also had a great record while playing against India as the southpaw scored 1888 runs in 18 Test matches at an impressive average of 59. Cheteshwar Pujara bats at number three for Chopra as the solid batsman has an impressive average of 57 against Australia. Pujara had scored 521 in four Test matches in the previous tour of Australia in 2018-19.
Sachin Tendulkar bats at number four as the Master Blaster scored 3630 in 39 Test matches against Australia at an average of 55 with 11 centuries. VVS Laxman bats at number five for Aakash Chopra as the flamboyant batsman scored 2934 in 29 Test matches at an impressive average of 49.67 against Australia.
Australia’s former skipper Steve Smith bats at number six in Aakash Chopra’s team. Smith has an unbelievable record while playing against India as he averages 79.50. The talisman has amassed 1431 runs in 11 Test matches against the Indian team.
Adam Gilchrist is the wicket-keeper of the team as the southpaw scored 809 runs in 18 Test matches at an average of 27.89 while playing against India. Anil Kumble and Nathan Lyon are the two spinners in the team. Kumble scalped 111 wickets in 20 Test matches against Australia at an average of 30.32. Lyon has snared 86 wickets in 19 Test matches against India at an average of 33.01.
Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Zaheer Khan are the three pacers, which makes it 12 players in the team. McGrath had taken 51 wickets in 11 Test matches against India at a stunning average of 18.64. Lee took 53 wickets in 12 Test matches against India whereas Zaheer Khan picked 61 wickets in 19 Test matches against Australia.
Aakash Chopra’s combined India-Australia Test team: Virender Sehwag, Matthew Hayden, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Steve Smith, Adam Gilchrist (wk), Anil Kumble, Nathan Lyon, Glenn McGrath, Zaheer Khan, Brett Lee
