Former Indian Cricketer Fumes Over Cheteshwar Pujara’s Omission from England Tests

Newseense February 15, 2024

1 10 2 minutes read

Former Indian Cricketer Fumes Over Cheteshwar Pujara's Omission from England Tests

Former cricketer Karsan Ghavri voiced strong criticism on Wednesday against the exclusion of seasoned player Cheteshwar Pujara from the Test series against England, particularly given the depleted batting roster in the absence of Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. With a vast experience of 103 Tests, the 36-year-old Pujara has been overlooked since the West Indies series, with the Indian selectors opting to focus on the future.

“I fail to comprehend the rationale behind omitting Cheteshwar Pujara. He ought to have been an integral part of the Indian squad right from the outset of the series,” Ghavri expressed to PTI on the eve of the third Test, set to take place at Pujara’s home ground.

“Initially, Virat Kohli was slated to miss the first two Tests, and now it’s confirmed that he won’t be participating in the remaining three Tests. Cheteshwar not only stood as the most suitable replacement but also as the paramount player they should have enlisted,” the 72-year-old added.

With Kohli withdrawing from the series due to “personal reasons” and Rahul nursing an injury, India’s batting lineup has appeared vulnerable throughout the ongoing five-match series.

India deployed Shubman Gill at No 3, albeit with limited success, while Shreyas Iyer’s performance failed to leave a mark, resulting in his exclusion.

The side led by Rohit Sharma is poised to grant Sarfaraz Khan his debut in place of Shreyas, while another emerging talent, Devdutt Padikkal, has been named as Rahul’s substitute in the squad.

Despite setbacks, Pujara remains undeterred and has showcased commendable performance in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. The seasoned player has amassed 673 runs at an impressive average of 74.77 for Saurashtra and is set to feature in their concluding league match against Manipur commencing Friday.

“He continues to exhibit resilience, maintaining good form and physical condition, and should he make a return, it wouldn’t come as a surprise,” Ghavri remarked.

Expounding further, Ghavri touched upon captain Rohit Sharma’s recent downturn in form, expressing confidence in his imminent resurgence.

“Rohit Sharma undeniably possesses exceptional talent. Such a player merely awaits the opportunity for a substantial innings. A noteworthy score of 50, 60, 70, or a century, and he’ll be back on track,” he concluded. The series stands level at 1-1 as it heads into the third Test, scheduled to commence on Thursday.