The Chairman of the All-India Senior-Selection Committee Chetan Sharma revealed that both Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujar were informed in advance that they won’t be selected for the 2-match series against Sri Lanka. However, he further added that the doors are still open for them if they put on an impressive show in the red-ball format.
As India faced a 1-2 defeat in 3-match series against South Africa, they made wholesale changes in the squad. Apart from Rahane and Pujara, the selectors also dropped veterans like Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha.
Both Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane scored one fifty each in the South Africa tour
Since January 2021, Pujara scored 810 runs in 30 innings with an average of 27.93 which included only 7 fifties. Rahane’s numbers are even worse in the same time period as he scored just 547 runs in 27 innings which included just 3 fifties. Chetan Sharma said that they asked the duo to play Ranji Trophy.
“The selection committee deliberated a lot on Rahane and Pujara. We told them we will not consider them against Sri Lanka but doors are open for them. We have told them to go and play Ranji Trophy,” Chetan Sharma said.
The chief selector also didn’t rule out their comeback if they perform well in Ranji Trophy.
“They have served the country for so long. They can come back, why not? It’s like a graph…Rahane hit a hundred yesterday against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. This is a process of managing. Who wouldn’t be happy if they come back?” he added.
India will also miss the services of KL Rahul and Axar Patel for the series as both of them are recovering from injuries. The first test will be played on March 4 at Mohali which will also be the 100th test match for Virat Kohli. The second test will be a pink ball game as it will be played under lights in Bengaluru.
India’s Test squad for the SL series: Rohit Sharma (C), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, KS Bharat, Ravichandran Ashwin (subject to fitness), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep, Jasprit Bumrah, Shami, Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Sourabh Kumar.