India-Pakistan combined XI in Tests

India and Pakistan are considered to be two of the greatest cricket rivalries, and during the 70s and 80s, they had a fierce rivalry in Tests as well. Both the teams had terrific lineups, with India filled with batters and spinners of the highest quality and Pakistan boasting equally good batters and amazing pacer bowlers.

The India and Pakistan rivalry started in 1952 when Pakistan toured India for the first time since independence in 1947, and soon, this became the storied cricketing series. There were controversies, player rivalries, and whatnot when India and Pakistan faced each other, not giving an inch to one another and not willing to lose.

Keeping this intensity in mind, let's have a look at the India-Pakistan combined XI in Tests.

Check out the India-Pakistan combined XI in Tests:

There were many options from both sides to choose for the opening slots, but we have chosen Sunil Gavaskar and Hanif Mohammad. Gavaskar was the first to 10,000 Test runs, with him achieving the feat against Pakistan, while Hanif was the first Pakistani to score a triple hundred in Tests. Both were mega stars of their respective teams for their careers.

Zaheer Abbas, Sachin Tendulkar, and Virat Kohli follow next. Abbas was called the Asian Bradman and scored 5062 runs in 78 Tests with 12 centuries and a best of 274. Sachin Tendulkar is often regarded as the best batter of all time and scored 15921 runs in 200 Tests with 51 centuries and a best of 248*.

Virat Kohli is called a modern-day great and has 9230 runs in 123 Tests with 31 centuries and a best of 254*. Perhaps Pakistan’s greatest batter of all time, Javed Miandad, will shoulder the most responsibility in this combined XI.

Miandad scored 8832 runs in 124 Tests with 23 centuries and a best of 280, which came against India. He remains the only teenager to score a Test double hundred.

Two of the all-time great all-rounders follow next in Imran Khan and Kapil Dev. With 3807 runs and 362 wickets in 88 Tests, Imran Khan stands tall amongst his peers in Tests. He scored 6 Test hundreds and took 23 fifers and 6 ten-fers as well, with his guile and swing.

Kapil Dev, on the other hand, took 434 wickets and scored 5248 runs in 134 Tests with 8 centuries and 23 fifers to his name. Both Imran and Kapil captained their respective teams with great success.

Wasim Akram will be the third fast bowler in this combined XI, with 2898 runs and 414 wickets in 104 Tests. He took two Test hat-tricks, and his best Test score was 257*.

Coming to the spin options, perhaps the best left-arm spinner ever in Bishan Bedi and the best leg-spinner in Asia, Abdul Qadir, will complete the combined XI. Bishan Bedi played 67 Tests and picked 266 wickets with 7/98 as his best bowling. He captained India as well and ruled the spin world during his playing days.

Abdul Qadir took 236 wickets in 67 Tests with a best of 9/56 and is often considered to be the best leg-spinner in the world before the arrival of Shane Warne.

Here is the India-Pakistan combined XI in Tests:

Sunil Gavaskar, Hanif Mohammad (WK), Zaheer Abbas, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Javed Miandad, Imran Khan (C), Kapil Dev, Bishan Bedi, Wasim Akram, Abdul Qadir.

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