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International cricket is back, and teams are playing in the traditional format of the game. There have been Test batters who have been performing well. Amid this, former India National Cricket Team player Ravichandran Ashwin has made comments on the best current Test batters in the world at the moment, snubbing KL Rahul.
Ravichandran Ashwin has retired from international cricket and the IPL and currently plays franchise leagues across the world and also does commentary during matches of India and the IPL as well. He has been one of the finest ever off-spinners that India has ever produced. He, along with Ravindra Jadeja, led India to win many memorable matches in India.
Ravichandran Ashwin names best Test batter
While speaking in the video uploaded by Cricinfo, Ravichandran Ashwin was asked to say something on the segment ‘Winners Stay On, Current Test Batters’. His picks were surprising, as he picked Temba Bavuma over Rahul and snubbed some of the current Test batters in the contemporary era. He also snubbed England vice-captain at the very start.
It just had to come down to two 🐐🐐 Who does Ash pick? 👀 pic.twitter.com/aordn1fNEh
— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) August 18, 2026
He was asked, ‘Daryl Mitchell or Harry Brook?’ Ashwin replied, “Wow! Okay, that's a good start. I go Daryl Mitchell.” Then ‘Daryl Mitchell or Ben Duckett?’ he said, “I'll stay with Mitchell.” ‘Mitchell or Aiden Markram?’ “Stay with Mitchell. Mitchell or Rachin Ravindra? Daryl Mitchell.”
Ravichandran Ashwin picks KL Rahul over Daryl Mitchell
While comparing Daryl Mitchell, who surpassed Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, South Africa captain Aiden Markram, and his New Zealand National Cricket Team teammate Rachin Ravindra, he came against Rahul as Ashwin picked the India Test opener over the Kiwi batter.
“Mitchell or KL Rahul? Any numbers that you can give me on both of them? How much they're averaging in the recent past? I'll go with KL Rahul. KL Rahul or Kamindu Mendis? KL Rahul. KL Rahul or Temba Bavuma? Under pressure, I'll go with Temba.”
“Temba Bavuma or Yashasvi Jaiswal? Yashasvi Jaiswal. Jaiswal or Babar Azam? Yashasvi Jaiswal. Yashasvi Jaiswal or Travis Head? Wow! Travis Head. Travis Head or Shubman Gill? Travis Head. Travis Head or Rishabh Pant? Travis Head. Travis Head or Joe Root? Joe Root. And finally, Joe Root or Steve Smith? Current form, Joe Root.”
Joe Root remains the best Test batter
Joe Root topped the chart among the current best Test batters in the world. The England National Cricket Team test captain has been one of the finest batters in the traditional format of the game. He is the leading run scorer among the active cricketers in the oldest format of the game. This showcases his prowess in this format.
Root remains the second-leading run-getter in Test cricket, right behind the great Sachin Tendulkar, who has scored 15,921 runs in this format, the most by any batter. The current English captain sits at 14,114 runs in second, with Root is 1808 runs behind to surpass the record of Tendulkar.
The nearest to Root is former Australia skipper Steve Smith with 10878 runs. All the other batters named in this video are nowhere near these two batters in the traditional format.
