India-South Africa combined all-time Test XI
Many talented batsmen like Graeme Pollock miss out due to a short Test career India are set to host South Africa for a Test series comprising of four matches making our memories fresh about the healthy rivalry between the two teams. There will always be a great balance between bat and ball when they play against each other. Both are the status quo teams of the world cricket and have produced some of the greatest cricketers ever to have graced the field of play. The class and elegance of these players have given enough strength to Test cricket to survive amongst the other entertaining shorter formats. Players from both teams have made a number of huge records which are almost impossible to surpass.The Test career of many great South African batsmen were cut short due to the nation’s exclusion from the sport for nearly 20 years. So a combined XI made between the two teams does make for some interesting reading but still have many superstar cricketers.
#1 Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar became the first batsmen in Test history to score 10000 runs way back in the eighties, thus creating a legacy. He opened the batting for India for more than a decade and stood unbent against some of the most fierce bowlers in cricket history. The ‘Little Master’ can be considered as India’s best ever opening batsman in Test cricket.
The other players from India and South Africa who can be compared with Gavaskar for the No.1 position are Virender Sehwag and Graeme Smith and the latter does make an appearance in the team.
| As opener | Overall | |||
| Runs | Avg | Runs | Avg | |
| Sunil Gavaskar | 9607 | 50.3 | 10122 | 51.1 |
| Graeme Smith | 9030 | 49 | 9265 | 48.2 |
| Virender Sehwag | 8207 | 50 | 8586 | 49.3 |
Sehwag definitely created impact in Test cricket, but the factors which differentiate Gavaskar from him are the consistency and reliability. In addition, Gavaskar averages better in away matches, including an average in the seventies against the then most fearsome attack of West Indies.
He was the best player the team during his time and lead the team in some of their most famous victories. He held the record of most Test centuries (34) for almost two decades before Sachin Tendulkar overtook him.