"There are question marks raised on their future" - Sanjay Bangar on Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara getting dropped

Sanjay Bangar has pointed out that Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara getting dropped for the Test series against Sri Lanka raises doubts about their future Team India prospects.

Rahane and Pujara have endured a torrid time in Test match cricket in recent times. The duo, along with the experienced pair of Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha, have been sidelined for the upcoming two Tests against the Lankans.

During an interaction on Star Sports, Sanjay Bangar was asked about the experienced Indian cricketers missing in action in the Tests against the Lankans. He responded:

"Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ishant Sharma - they have served Indian cricket brilliantly for many years. There are question marks raised on their future when such experienced players are dropped or when they are not selected."

However, the former Indian batting coach added that the doors are not yet closed on the veteran trio. Bangar explained:

"But Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara are still quite young, even Ishant Sharma is quite young. So they should not lose hope, they have to go back and continue playing domestic cricket."

Bangar also advised Rahane and Pujara to ply their trade in county cricket. He reasoned:

"Maybe Ajinkya and Cheteshwar can think of going and playing even in county cricket because that's where they will get the opportunity to play cricket year around. Taking into account the international schedule and calendar, if there are openings at certain points in time, I am pretty sure they will try and force their way back into the Indian team."

Rahane and Pujara are representing their respective teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy. The former has scored a century and a half-century, apart from a duck, in his three knocks thus far. Meanwhile, Pujara has played a 91-run knock but has been dismissed for a duck and eight runs respectively in his other two innings.

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"Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been the pillars of Indian Test cricket" - Aakash Chopra

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been integral parts of the Indian middle order for a long while.

Aakash Chopra pointed out that the absence of Rahane and Pujara presents a great opportunity for the youngsters. He elaborated:

"One man's loss is another man's opportunity and the Indian selectors will also look from that angle, even the new players because Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been the pillars of Indian Test cricket but now that they are not there, it is an opportunity."

Chopra added that a new era in Indian cricket could be around the corner if the likes of Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari make the best use of their chances. The former India opener observed:

"Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari will get an opportunity and if they utilize that, you will feel that a new journey has started because it had been a long time that Ajinkya and Pujara hadn't scored the runs that you expected from them."

Iyer and Vihari are in contention to take the two middle-order berths vacated by Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara. However, Shubman Gill could also be tried in the middle order, with Mayank Agarwal opening the batting with Rohit Sharma.