India's strongest Test XI under Virat Kohli

Spinners

Ravichandran Ashwin

Ravichandran Ashwin

If there is one player who deserves an automatic spot, then it has to be Ravichandran Ashwin. The Tamil Nadu star topped the bowling charts with 62 wickets in nine matches in 2015, that included seven five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket hauls with his best figures being 7/66. Ashwin continued his dream run in 2016 as well, with 72 wickets in 12 matches and was instrumental in India's dominance in Test matches that year. With eight five-wicket hauls and three ten-wicket hauls in 2016, Ashwin was once again the leading wicket-taker in Tests.

He once again proved why he is the best with the red-cherry, claiming 56 wickets in 11 matches last year thereby finishing the year as India's highest wicket-taker (third overall). There is no stopping Ashwin who has 19 wickets to his name so far this year apart from amassing 193 runs in five matches this year.

Undoubtedly, Ashwin's rise as an all-rounder has been phenomenal ever since Kohli took over reigns as his batting stats reveal-1292 runs in 37 matches that include two centuries and eight half-centuries, with his highest score being 118. With his all-round contributions, Ashwin has been priceless for Team India in the longer format of the game.

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Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja has been complementing Ashwin well with the ball, especially in the spin-friendly Indian conditions. With 23 wickets in four matches, Jadeja was India's second-best spinner behind Ashwin in 2015. His magic-run continued in 2016 as he took 43 wickets nine matches, with the majority of those coming at home against the kiwis and the English.

Team India's successful bowlers of the year chart remained intact, as Jaddu finished behind leader Ashwin with 54 wickets in ten matches, with his best figures being 6/63 last year. Jadeja, who has played just one Test match so far this year (against Afghanistan in Bengaluru) took six wickets in that game. A useful lower-middle order batsman, Jaddu has amassed 832 runs in 24 matches for India that includes seven half-centuries since