IND v AUS 2020: 'Beyond imagination' - Twitter erupts as fans are irked with Rishabh Pant's exclusion from playing XI

Rishabh Pant failed to make the playing 11 for the first Test

The BCCI announced the playing XI for the 1st Test of the India vs Australia series on Wednesday, and some of the notable absentees are Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul.

The 1st Test of the much-awaited series is set to begin from December 17, and it will be a day-night affair played at the Adelaide Oval.

As soon as the team was announced, fans took to social media to react to the selections. Many expressed their surprise after seeing Rishabh Pant's exclusion, with fans reacting passionately on Twitter after seeing Wriddhiman Saha picked over the youngster.

Saha being picked ahead of Pant for the pink-ball Test meant the youngster’s explosive century didn’t seem to work in his favour. Clearly, India's playing XI for the first Test against Australia suggests the management has gone with Saha’s superior wicket-keeping skills for the all-important first game.

After the India team was announced by the BCCI online, many pointed out how there is no left-hander in the side due to Rishabh Pant's exclusion, and some used that as a point to suggest that India will struggle without a southpaw in the batting unit.

Referring to Rishabh Pant’s great performance in the practice game where he scored 103* off 73 balls, a couple of fans were also irked at his exclusion, considering his good form off late. Others shared hilarious memes when they got to know about Rishabh Pant’s exclusion from the starting XI of the first Test.

The youngster's exclusion from the side comes after he was ignored for the limited-overs series that began earlier this month. Following the furore on social media when it came to Rishabh Pant’s exclusion from the Indian cricket team, here are some of the best reactions.

Aakash Chopra and others react to Rishabh Pant’s exclusion