Rahane's playing XI was restricted to players he has shared the pitch with.
Former India batter Ajinkya Rahane omitted prominent figures such as Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah from his all-time India Test XI, which is restricted to players he has shared the pitch with.
The lineup features MS Dhoni as captain and wicketkeeper alongside legends such as Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar for crucial No. 3 and No. 4 batting positions, respectively.
Rahane's choices appear to be strictly role-based. He picked Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan as openers, and selected himself for No. 5 spot. Dhoni was slotted to bat at No. 6.
Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin were his all-round and spin-bowling options, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Shami and Ishant Sharma made up a fast-bowling attack.
Rahane announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in July this year. While his white-ball debut came in 2011, he had to wait for two more years before making his maiden Test appearance.
Rahane was a cornerstone of India’s middle-order when the team held the No.1 Test rankings from 2016 to 2021. He featured in 85 Tests, amassing 5,077 runs at an average of 38.46, including 12 centuries and 26 fifties.
Rahane also led India in 6 Tests, clinching 4 victories and 2 draws. His finest hour came when he took over a battered, injury-depleted Indian squad after the infamous "36 all-out" collapse in Adelaide. The elegant right-hander hit a masterful century at MCG to rally the team, eventually orchestrating an iconic 2-1 series victory in Australia.
Ajinkya Rahane’s all-time India Test XI of teammates: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Ajinkya Rahane, MS Dhoni (C and WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Ishant Sharma.