Pujara, Rahane Axed From Test Squad; Is It The End Of Road For Struggling Duo?

Mumbai: Is it the end of the road for Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane?

That was the most obvious question after the senior batsmen were on Saturday dropped from Team India’s Test squad for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka.

Chairman of selection committee Chetan Sharma, though said that the doors would be open for Pujara and Rahane in future. Former India pacer Chetan informed that the duo had been spoken to about the decision to axe them, and told to regain form by playing in the Ranji Trophy.

But even Pujara and Rahane know that the path to an India comeback will be extremely difficult. A clutch of young batsmen are waiting in the wings to grab an opportunity whenever it presents itself.

Both Pujara and Rahane have been struggling for runs for more than a year. The 34-year-old Pujara, a veteran of 95 Tests, managed just 124 runs in the recent three-Test series in South Africa at an average of 20.66.

The 33-year-old Rahane, with the experience of 82 Tests, aggregated a mere 136 runs at an average of 22.66 against South Africa.

Not unexpectedly, Rohit Sharma was named captain after Virat Kohli decided to relinquish leadership following the series in South Africa.

Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah has been appointed vice-captain, for both Tests and T20Is.

Allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the South Africa tour and the ongoing series against West Indies due to injury, has returned to the squad. So has opening batsman Shubman Gill.

INDIA TEST SQUAD FOR SRI LANKA SERIES

Rohit Sharma (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Priyank Panchal, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant (wk), KS Bharat (wk), R Ashwin (subject to fitness), Ravindra Jadeja, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umesh Yadav, Saurabh Kumar.