India last week completed the milestone of 500th Test and convincingly won in Kanpur. Yesterday it finished 250th home Test, again winning and also securing the No. 1 Test team position.

It's probably the right time to explore an all-time Indian Test squad. The attempt is to pick an ideal team; that would comprise five specialist bats for specific positions, one genuine all-rounder; a wicket-keeper batsman, two pacers and a couple of spinners.

Thanks to some of the legends who pick themselves, but for the majority of the slots, given India’s long and rich cricketing legacy, picking the all-time best across eras has been a daunting task. I hope to justify each of the selection, which to me is more than dry stats.

The Openers:

Not a very difficult choice to make, yet. Few would believe that for over half a century India held the world opening record of 413 (Pankaj Roy and Vinoo Mankad). However, the contenders of the opening pair, in my opinion, come from three different eras with three different styles of play.

Vijay Merchant: Merchant is the only challenger for the opening slot against the two obvious. The Supreme yardstick for a batsman has been the Bradman scale. If all the figures count, Merchant, with a first-class average of 71, is next in line to The Don. In 47 innings of Ranji Trophy, he reached 100 on 16 occasions, totaling 3639 runs at the astounding average of 98.75. Can you beat that?

Sunil Gavaskar: The original 'Little Master,' was the first man to reach 10,000 Test runs and India's first batting superstar for more than a decade-and-a-half. A bulwark against extreme pace in the pre-helmet days, taking on the greatest attacks (Holding, Roberts, Croft, and Garner) in the history of the game, Gavaskar's rock-solid technique and endless levels of concentration helped him become India's finest ever batsmen.

Virender Sehwag: Viru brings the excitement and drama from the first ball. Sehwag has fashioned an extraordinary career with a relentless quest, and a genius, for boundary hitting. He has built massive Test runs at a breathtaking speed, faster than anyone in the history of cricket. The most remarkable aspect of Viru's career, of course, has been that he destroys all strategies. He possessed the ability to change the momentum and result of a Test match in the space of one session. I will pick Sehwag as an opener also in an all time World-11.

There really could be no debate for the opening pair other than that of Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag. Merchant makes the first to secure a place on the bench.

Bat No. Three:

If somehow the bowlers got through Sunny, or the God showers mercy as a gift of Viru's wicket, they must hit a wall. The two contenders that surfaces above all the other greats for this position are:

Dilip Balwant Vengsarkar: Colonel held the middle order together, and for 15 years he was one of India's batting stalwart at No. 3 position. Vengsarkar's best-known feat, of course, is being the first to score three hundred against England at Lord's. His six tons against West Indies' pace made him the most valuable player in the middle order in his time.

Rahul Dravid: A typical, classical Test match batsmen of a new, defiant generation armed with a conventional technique drilled into him. Rahul's patience, hard work and powers of concentration were almost yogic that allowed other flair players express themselves. His record away from home tells how crucial he was for team India. Dravid's immense levels of concentration also came in handy when he while standing in the slips and grabbed most number of catches in the slip in Test history.

My pick for the N0. 3 position would obviously be Rahul Dravid, the official 'Wall.'

Bat No. Four:

"One of that narrow stratum of elite sports stars whom people will clamor and even make great sacrifices to watch, regardless of their national identity. If you care for cricket, you must love him. In this regard, his peers are few - and mostly found in other sports, and certainly in other lands." - Mike Marqusee

A class above and consistently special with the most number of runs, centuries, Test matches, and the man Don Bradman thought played like him. Enough said?

Bat No. Five:

Even before I start contemplating the options, I render my apologies for not considering these fine bats like Poly Umrigar, Mohd Azharuddin, Saurav Ganguly or Virat Kohli as contenders for this pivotal batting position. I am sure, and I wish that by the time India completes 550 tests, Virat would emerge as a clear name in the top five. But as of now, the three names that pose a serious challenge to this position are:

Vijay Hazare: Two back to back hundreds on two successive days against Bradman's Australia, Vijay Hazare was India's first Test-winning captain, and one of the finest ever batsman in the middle order. Hazare lost several years of his career due to World War II.

"Hazare was one of the most graceful batsmen. It was my pleasure to see him bat. Perhaps his batting more closely resembled that of the great West Indian Sir Frank Worrell, than anyone I can remember." - Bradman

Gundappa Viswanath: The most elegant and a delight to watch. I don't think any other player has been more pleasing to watch than this rubber-wristed magician of pace and spin alike. Vishy carried the middle order on his shoulders for a decade as a key pillar of India's batting. Vishy's records may not be as imposing as some of India's other greats, but his best performances came under duress on difficult surfaces.

VVS Laxman: In the golden era, the name Laxman occasionally fell behind mentions of Tendulkar, Dravid, and Sehwag. Laxman has a reputation of an enigmatic batting genius, and his batting craftsmanship was a visual delight. This wonderfully creative artist reserved his finest performances against the formidable Australians. Laxman's epic 281 alongside Dravid is still spoken about and is perhaps the greatest ever test innings.

The bridge between the top order bats and the lower order is critical and therefore needs a Very Very Special player (Laxman) at this final, specialized batting slot. I would pick Vishy for the bench.

The All-Rounder:

Most Indian deemed all-rounders have had their skills in somewhat different proportions. I could never understand the political terms the 'batting, all-rounder' or a 'bowling all-rounder.' The true all-rounder comprises two roughly equal halves. In cricketing terms, they ought to be able to make a century and claim five wickets, both consistently. Looking at the prowess required, only two names comes to mind to fit in this slot:

Vinoo Mankad: A left-arm spinner and opening batsman, Mankad was one of the genuine all-rounders India has ever produced. Mankad was at the forefront of India's first-ever win over England when he took 12 wickets. Against England at Lord's, Mankad scored 72 and 184 with the bat and finished losing the match with a five-wicket haul. Wisden says that this performance of his "must surely rank as the greatest ever in a Test by an individual of the losing side."

Kapil Dev: As a fast bowler, he was India's finest; fast, accurate and with a genuine wicket-taking weapon in his world-class outswinger. As a batsman, Kapil Paaji was a free-swinging game-changer. The most remarkable thing about this true champion was how he kept himself fit over 131 Tests without missing one through injury. A natural athlete, he brought to the game a sense of joy. The phenomenon called Kapil Dev, whether batting, bowling or fielding, was a spectators' delight.

With all due respect to Vinoo, the fact that Kapil Dev was named India's Cricketer of the Twentieth Century says it all.

Wicket Keeper:

For most Indian wicket-keepers responding to the spinners has been the real test. When it comes to picking an all-time best, only a couple seriously pose a challenge:

Syed Kirmani: One of India's greatest-ever keeper, Kirmani established himself for the better part of a decade with a combination of razor sharp glovework and handy runs down the order. Kirmani was ahead of his time as a wicket-keeper batsman, averaging 27 before the keeper-batsman revolution.

M S Dhoni: The highlight of Dhoni's work behind stumps has always been his presence of mind, coupled with lightning fast reflexes. MSD was a nightmare for batsmen who strayed slightly out of his crease. Dhoni equaled Kirmani's record of 38 stumpings only in his final Test. While he was far more potent in the shorter forms, and his scores away from home will always draw criticism, Dhoni's batting average of 38 in Tests tells his ability to bat big.

No prizes for guessing the man who dons the gloves; the exceptional Dhoni.

The Pacers:

In the land of the spin, fast bowling was never considered an Indian thing and logically (brain over brute force) backed too. In the name of pacers, we mostly had shine-removers that led to Indian wickets actively discourage fast bowling. The genuine contenders are few but very challenging:

Amar Singh: As per Wisden, Amar Singh was "the best bowler seen in England since the War." W. Hammond said, "Amar Singh came off the pitch like the crack of doom," while Len Hutton described him as: "there is no better bowler in the world today than Amar Singh.' Amar Singh had the accuracy, stamina, and ability to make the ball swing alarmingly. Amar Singh's 7 for 86 stood as a record for an Indian opening bowler till Kapil went past it half a century later.

Mohammad Nissar: Nissar, a solidly built fearsome right-arm pacer renowned for raw speed, is held in high esteem as a great, more for his legacy than his longevity. In India's very first Test at Lord's, he knocked over England's opening pair in his second over. According to CB Fry, "Nissar was faster than Harold Larwood." This what we lacked always.

Javagal Srinath: Srinath stands like a beacon on the landscape of Indian fast bowlers who spearheaded the Indian pacers to follow. His in-swinger, the sharp cutters, and seam movement made him prosper even on home tracks. By far the quickest Indian bowler of our era could unsettle the best with the disconcerting bounce he produced even on conditions that rarely supported him.

Zaheer Khan: The second Indian pacer to claim 300 Test wickets, Zaheer on his day was a lethal left-arm executor with a devastating swing-bowling. Zaheer discovered the joys of the 'yorker' early and resembled more to his Pakistani counterparts than any of his predecessors.

My first pick for the Pacers would be what India always lacked, a man with fearsome pace and undying stamina, Mohd Nissar. The second would be the best left-arm pacer India has ever produced, Zaheer Khan. With utter displeasure, Srinath makes it to the bench.

Spinners:

Now this is close to blasphemy to make a choice from an embarrassment of riches in this genre. It was awkward for not considering the legends like Subhash Gupte, Erapalli Prasanna, S Venkatraghwan and the latest spinning sensation R Ashwin as contenders. Sorry.

Bishan Singh Bedi: Bedi's purity of spin and the perfection of flight was a connoisseur's dream. A master of deception was deadly with variations in flight, loop, spin and pace without any perceptible change in action. Bedi was an artist who brought to his craft a beauty that was timeless. With a superior average than the other greats, Bedi's stature as one of the greatest Indian spinner is unquestionable.

B. S. Chandrasekhar: I doubt that any bowler in history was capable of producing as many "unplayable" deliveries consistently. With the spinning arm weakened by a childhood attack of polio, Chandra turned his handicap into an advantage. specially. For a nation that was starved of wins abroad, Chandra would haunt batsmen, leave them guessing what to expect; a sharp googly, an spiteful top-spinner, or a medium paced leg-break. This rare jewel was cruel to the tail-enders.

Anil Kumble: No bowler in history won India more Test matches than Anil Kumble. He became the second only player in Test history to take all ten wickets in one innings. A giant of the game,  Jumbo, redefined spin bowling in India.

Harbhajan Singh: A unique mix of talent and passion, Harbhajan is India's most successful off-spin bowler. His deadliest ball was the wickedly climbing jab from length along with mesmerizing 'Doosra.' A fierce competitor and a fiery character, Harbhajan in his hay days, was one of the most feared spin bowlers in the world. One can ask Ricky Ponting.

My pick would obviously be Kumble first and then Chandrasekhar, for the fact that he was for long India's biggest match-winner overseas. Bishen Singh Bedi secures the bench over our loving 'Turbanator.'

Captain: Since Ganguly is not in the squad, a case can be made for Dhoni, Gavaskar or Rahul. But for the dignity he brought to the job, his commitment and the demonstration through the 14 Tests he led, and also for the fact that no one would mind taking orders from him, my pick for the skipper would go to Anil Kumble.

Final Squad:  

Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Kapil Dev, M S Dhoni, Anil Kumble (C), Zaheer Khan, Mohd Nissar and Chandrasekhar.

Bench:

Vijay Merchant, Gundappa Viswanath, Jawagal Srinath and Bishen Singh Bedi.

Top Pic Credit: By Privatemusings (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons