Former India No. 3 Cheteshwar Pujara has picked his all-time playing XI featuring only his former teammates. In a recent video for Cricinfo, Pujara ignored several big names, including legendary captain MS Dhoni, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma, while selecting a lineup from his international career.
Pujara retired from all forms of Indian cricket in August 2025 after an illustrious 13-year international career. The right-hander played 103 Tests for India and established himself as one of the most dependable red-ball batters. He is currently working as a commentator and analyst for broadcast networks.
Cheteshwar Pujara Names Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag as Openers
Cheteshwar Pujara picked his childhood idol Rahul Dravid and explosive opener Virender Sehwag to open his all-time XI. He also selected himself at No. 3, allowing Dravid to move up the order. He then picked Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, and VVS Laxman in the middle order.
Dravid finished his international career with more than 24,000 runs and 48 centuries, while Sehwag scored 16,892 runs and hit 38 international centuries. Pujara, meanwhile, scored 7,246 runs in 108 international matches. He then picked Laxman ahead of Ajinkya Rahane, his middle-order partner for India.
Cheteshwar Pujara Picks Rishabh Pant Ahead of MS Dhoni
One of the biggest surprises in Cheteshwar Pujara's XI is the absence of MS Dhoni. Dhoni was India's captain when Pujara made his international debut in 2010 and enjoyed tremendous success as a leader. Dhoni scored 4,876 runs in 90 Tests at an average of 38.09, including six centuries.
However, Pujara preferred Rishabh Pant as his wicketkeeper after sharing several memorable overseas campaigns with the left-hander. Pant has already scored 5,805 international runs in 159 matches at an average of 43.82, including eight centuries.
Pant has become an important part of India's Test setup. The left-handed batter produced several match-winning performances in challenging overseas conditions.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami Lead Cheteshwar Pujara's Pace Attack
Pujara completed his bowling attack with Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami as the two frontline pacers, while Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin formed the spin combination.
“Also, I’ll pick another seamer, which is Ishant Sharma at number 12. So, depending on the conditions, I might go with 3 seamers, and I haven’t added a fast-bowling all-rounder, but if the need be, I might choose Hardik somewhere in that list.”
He also named Ishant Sharma as his 12th man and kept Hardik Pandya as a possible all-round option depending on the conditions. Pujara's final XI gives him the flexibility to adjust his bowling combination according to the pitch.
Bumrah and Shami provide the main pace threat, while Jadeja and Ashwin offer two world-class spin options. Ishant adds further experience, with Hardik available as a potential change if conditions demand an all-rounder.
Pujara's All-Time Teammates XI
Playing XI: Rahul Dravid, Virender Sehwag, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, VVS Laxman, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami
12th man: Ishant Sharma
Also read: Siddhesh Lad to replace Shardul Thakur as Mumbai captain for Ranji Trophy 2026-27
