5 Players treated unfairly by the selectors

Pragyan Ojha

Pragyan Ojha was dropped from the Indian team despite a splendid record

Now it is a fact that Ojha’s exile from the Indian team was also occasioned by doubts over his action. But well before that time, Ojha was being treated unfairly by selectors, if not national, the ones picking the final 11. Ojha had been a consistent member of the Indian team from 2010 onwards.

Yet, when India needed a second spinner to replace Harbhajan during the 2011 England tour, they opted for Amit Mishra instead of him.

In the next series, Ravichandran Ashwin was brought into the team and ended up winning the man-of-the-series award. But Ojha too picked up a rich haul of wickets.

But in the four-test series in Australia after that, Ashwin played all three matches where India fielded a spinner in spite of failing to make a mark. This despite the fact that Ojha had done really well in his stint in county cricket during 2011, thereby proving his worth in unhelpful conditions also.

Then, in the 2012 home season, Ojha emerged as India’s best bowler in the 2-1 loss to England while Ashwin failed miserably. Yet, while Ashwin was retained and Harbhajan brought back for the next two Tests against Australia, Ojha was dropped!

Imagine the batsmen who has scored the most runs and hundreds for a team in a series getting dropped from the playing 11 for the next two matches. In 2013 again, Ojha emerged as the best spinner in India’s home series against West Indies. Yet, he wasn’t given a chance to play in India’s away tours that followed.

Even though Ojha has been successfully plying his trade in first-class cricket, he hasn’t played a Test since being named man-of-the-series in 2013 against the Windies. Bowlers like Amit Mishra, Jayant Yadav and Kuldeep Yadav have been tried but he hasn’t been given another opportunity. A man with 113 wickets in just 24 matches and 7 five-wicket hauls deserves much better.