A bold and surprising debate has taken over Indian cricket after Sanjay Bangar shared his all-time India T20 playing XI, and the choices have stunned fans across the country. The former Indian batting coach’s team selection surprised many because he picked Shubman Gill ahead of some of the greatest names in Indian cricket history.
Sanjay Bangar’s shocking picks spark massive debate
During a special segment on ESPNcricinfo, Bangar named his all-time Men in Blue T20 XI. He picked Shubman Gill as an opener while leaving out legends like MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah, despite the fact that he was recently left out of India’s T20 plans due to his struggles.
The segment became even more interesting as former Indian opener Aakash Chopra was also part of the discussion. Both Bangar and Chopra picked their teams turn by turn, and surprisingly, not a single player overlapped between the two India T20 playing XIs.
This made the comparison more dramatic. Bangar named Virat Kohli as the captain of his all-time T20 XI for the Men in Blue. He also placed Kohli at the top of the order along with Shubman Gill.
Trust in Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli leads Bangar’s XI
Shubman Gill’s selection raised many eyebrows because he was not picked for the upcoming five-match T20I series against New Zealand and the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Still, Bangar showed full trust in Gill’s ability by selecting him for his side.
KL Rahul got the wicketkeeper’s role in Bangar’s XI. The middle order featured Suryakumar Yadav, known for his fearless strokeplay, and Yuvraj Singh, one of the all-time greatest all-rounders and big hitters. Bangar’s first two picks were Kohli and Suryakumar.
For the all-rounders, Bangar went with Yuvraj again, along with Shivam Dube and Deepak Chahar. This combination added power with the bat and useful bowling options. His bowling attack included fast bowlers Mohammed Shami and Ashish Nehra, giving experience and control. He picked the strong spin attack featuring Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Sanjay Bangar’s all-time India T20 Playing XI:
Virat Kohli (c), Shubman Gill, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Yuvraj Singh, Shivam Dube, Deepak Chahar, Mohammad Shami, Ashish Nehra, Kuldeep Yadav, and Yuzvendra Chahal.
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra built a very different team. He won the toss to pick first and immediately selected Jasprit Bumrah, one of the most trusted fast bowlers in modern cricket.
MS Dhoni leads Aakash Chopra’s XI
Chopra then picked Rohit Sharma and Virender Sehwag, two batters known for their explosive starts, as his openers. The cricket pandit then gave the number three spot to Suresh Raina, followed by Yusuf Pathan, adding firepower to the middle order.
Chopra selected MS Dhoni as both captain and wicketkeeper for his all-time India T20 playing XI. For all-round options, he picked Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel.
In the spin department, Chopra selected Varun Chakaravarthy, adding a mystery element, while Bumrah led the pace attack, featuring Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh, giving a mix of swing, control, and left-arm pace to dominate any T20 lineup.
Aakash Chopra’s all-time India T20 Playing XI:
Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, MS Dhoni (C/WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh
