The Indian Cricket team squad has been announced for the first 2 Test matches against Australia and while there are no major surprises in store as far the players are concerned, there are a number of omissions from the squad which could be up for debate.
There are quite a few number of players who have been consistent performers in the Domestic circuit and hence they could feel aggrieved with their non-inclusion in the squad.
India’s domestic competition is one a highly competitive one and the players who have been successful more often than not the players are ready to take their next step into the International circuit.
Here are five players who can consider themselves unlucky to not get a berth:
#5 Harbhajan Singh
This name is sure to ruffle many feathers as the veteran off-spinner has been out-of-favour with the Indian team for a long time now and he also did not play any Ranji trophy matches this season. However, there is little doubt over his pedigree and when the opponents are Australia, the combative spinner needs no further motivation.
In 18 matches against Australia, he has picked up 95 wickets at an average of 29.95 and these numbers are his best against any opposition.
Hence, the selectors could have taken a bold call and he could have been included in the squad, for a lot of cricket is played in the mind and when it is Harbhajan up against Australia there are bound to be fireworks.
#4 Shahbaz Nadeem
The Jharkhand spinner has been the top wicket-taker for two successive seasons and yet he is nowhere close to National reckoning. The man himself has spoke about a lot of frustration creeping in at the continuous neglect.
After having been neglected the previous year for even the Rest of India squad, Nadeem was finally included in the team this year as after taking 56 wickets in the Ranji season he did not give the selectors any other option. However, he is no close to the National selection and this has perhaps to do with the fact that Ravindra Jadeja is India’s leading left-arm tweaker at the moment.
Despite this, Nadeem deserves to be in and around the team as with the exposure and under the tutelage of Anil Kumble, he could only improve.
#3 Priyank Panchal
The leading run-scorer this season, Panchal broke down the door as far as National selection is concerned but obviously, the selectors do want to groom him currently and he would have to wait for a little longer for his chance.
After having amassed 1310 runs in 10 matches at an average of 87.33 including 5 centuries for Gujarat, Panchal was included for the India A squad to take on Bangladesh and the young Gujarat batsman continued to impress with another century. Clearly, the selectors do not believe in the policy of ‘ blood em young', as he could have included in the squad as the third opener in place of Abhinav Mukund.
There is no reason why Panchal cannot replicate this form in the coming seasons and with the IPL coming up it would be interesting to see if manages to get into any team which would only bolster his chances.
#2 Yuzvendra Chahal
Another off-field proposal but Chahal has grown leaps and bounds and is currently one of the best leg-spinners in the country. With Amit Mishra nursing an injury it would not have been a bad call to give the lanky lad a go ahead.
Australia’s problems with wrist spin is a well-documented one and Chahal is a man in form as was evident from his performances against England in the recently concluded T20 series. While many would argue that Test selections should not be made based on T20 exploits, an exception could have been made for this specific occasion and while he is brimming with confidence, the inclusion of Chahal in the team would have been a shout in oblivion.
#1 Parthiv Patel
The captain of Gujarat would be the most disappointed of the lot owing to his performances with the Indian team in the series against England and then his title-clinching effort with Gujarat.
Parthiv impressed one and all with this batting as he made 195 runs at an average of 65 with two half-centuries. There were few glitches in his keeping but after Saha was declared fit the Gujarat stumper could have been retained in the squad as the third opener after KL Rahul and Murali Vijay.
His snub comes as a surprise as both Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble spoke highly of Parthiv’s contribution to the team both as a batsman and as a keeper and one would have thought that he would be given an extended run in the team, especially in the ongoing home season.
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