Even after scoring 300 you may have to sit out in this Indian team, says Abhinav Mukund

What’s the story?

Indian opener Abhinav Mukund travelled to Sri Lanka as the third opener in the squad but even after scoring 81 in the second innings in the first Test, he was benched for the second match after KL Rahul attained fitness.

Mukund, however, was taken into confidence and even though he was disappointed he understood the sanctity in the decision.

"Obviously, it was disappointing to miss out. But the current Indian team is such that you have to make way for the regulars. There were players who sat out even after scoring a 300 (Karun Nair); that's how the team is and that's why we are the No. 1 side in the world. I understood it. Kohli and Shastri said they loved my commitment and were pleased with my efforts on the field and with the bat. I know I will get my opportunity again,"Mukund was as quoted by Times of India.

The Details

Mukund endured a torrid return to the Indian side after 6 years, but then managed to score 81 in the above-mentioned innings. However, he conceded that he never lost hope as he has the belief in his abilities.

He also said that he now has to focus on the upcoming domestic season and continue scoring runs. Apart from this, he also said that he was not dropped owing to poor performance but because of the fact that a regular opener was back, and this gives him a lot of confidence going forward.

In case you didn’t know...

Abhinav Mukund played in the first test match and scored 12 and 81 in the two innings, but had to be benched because KL Rahul was fit to play and Shikhar Dhawan had scored a match-winning 190 in the first innings.

India went on to win the match by 304 runs and then grabbed the series 3-0 in a very convincing manner.

What's next?

India are set to tour Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and England over the next 15 months and Mukund's performances in the domestic setup will be closely observed by the selectors as he has the game to be successful in overseas conditions.

Author's Take

Communication is an integral part of any selection process and it is a huge positive that the Indian team believes in transparency when it comes down to selecting players as is evident from Mukund's statements and that players are made well aware of their worth to the side.

Also, it is very important for them to know the reason for them being benched as it would only help them improve their game in the longer run.