Pujara left out MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane from his dream playing XI — and picked Rishabh Pant as his wicketkeeper. Here's his full team.
MS Dhoni's name is back in every cricket conversation in India this week, and the latest reason has nothing to do with the IPL. Former India Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara has picked his all-time India playing XI — and Dhoni isn't on it.
Speaking about his dream team, Pujara went with Rishabh Pant as his wicketkeeper instead, a call that's already splitting opinion among fans who grew up watching Dhoni finish matches from behind the stumps.
Sachin Tendulkar of India celebrates his 50th Test century during day 4 of the 1st Test match between South Africa and India at SuperSport Park on December 19, 2010 in Centurion, South Africa. Photo by Duif du Toit / Gallo Images/Getty Images
Why Did Pujara Leave MS Dhoni Out of His XI?
Pujara didn't single out Dhoni for criticism — in fact, three modern greats missed the cut altogether: Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Ajinkya Rahane. All three had long, decorated careers for India, which is exactly why their absence stood out to fans reading through his selections one by one.
The XI Pujara built leans toward a specific era and a specific type of cricket: technically correct top-order batting, a strong all-rounder core, and pace-and-spin balance built for Test matches rather than white-ball cricket. That framing is likely why Dhoni — whose legacy is inseparable from limited-overs captaincy and finishing — didn't fit the XI Pujara had in mind.
Cheteshwar Pujara of India celebrates after reaching his century during day one of the Fourth Test match in the series between Australia and India at Sydney Cricket Ground on January 03, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images
Rishabh Pant Gets the Gloves Instead
The bigger surprise for most fans wasn't who got left out — it was who got picked instead. Pujara handed the wicketkeeper's spot to Rishabh Pant, whose aggressive, match-turning batting has made him one of the most talked-about players in the current Indian Test setup.
It's a selection that says as much about what Pujara values in a keeper-batter as it does about Pant's own career: someone who can change the pace of an innings from number seven, not just anchor it.
Cheteshwar Pujara's Full All-Time Playing XI
Here's the complete team, as Pujara laid it out:
Rahul Dravid – opener
Virender Sehwag – opener
Cheteshwar Pujara – number three
Sachin Tendulkar – number four
Virat Kohli – number five
VVS Laxman – number six
Rishabh Pant – wicketkeeper
Ravindra Jadeja – all-rounder
Ravichandran Ashwin – spinner
Jasprit Bumrah – pacer
Mohammed Shami – pacer
Hardik Pandya and Ishant Sharma Named as Backups
Pujara didn't stop at eleven names. He named Hardik Pandya as his 12th man, calling out Pandya's all-round match-winning ability as the reason he's the first player he'd turn to off the bench. He also mentioned Ishant Sharma as a reserve seamer, noting that his final XI could flex to three fast bowlers depending on pitch conditions — with Pandya coming in as the all-rounder option if the situation called for it.
Why This Debate Is Bigger Than One Playing XI
Lists like this tend to travel because they're really an argument about legacy — and Dhoni's legacy is one Indian cricket fans, at home and across the diaspora, still feel strongly about. For Indian-American fans who grew up watching Dhoni lift World Cups from US living rooms at odd hours, seeing his name left off any "greatest XI" is the kind of pick that invites a reaction, whether or not people agree with Pujara's reasoning.
Team India's next big series will only keep this conversation going — and Pujara's list has already given fans plenty to debate about who really belongs in the greatest XI of the modern era.
This article is based on remarks Cheteshwar Pujara made in an interview with Cricinfo.
