“Doors are absolutely open” – Chetan Sharma backs Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane to return to Test team

BCCI chief selector Chetan Sharma refused to rule out a return to the Indian Test team for Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane. The veteran batters were left out of the squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Sri Lanka.

The two batters have largely struggled for form and consistency in the last few months. The BCCI has now excluded the veteran duo in the 18-member squad for the two Tests against Sri Lanka.

Chetan Sharma said the selectors had to deliberate hard and long on dropping Pujara and Rahane, whose recent form has not inspired confidence. Speaking at a press conference, Sharma said:

"As for Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, the selection committee has made this decision after a lot of thought and deliberation. We have spoken to them earlier, and we have told them we will not consider them for the two Test matches against Sri Lanka."

However, despite missing out on the Sri Lanka series, the door is 'still open' for the duo to return to the Test fold. Chetan Sharma said:

"The doors are absolutely open for them. There are no problems. We told them to go and play Ranji Trophy. And that is the best part that such senior cricketers are playing Ranji Trophy, and the doors are open for them. For these two Test matches, selectors decided to give a chance to other cricketers."

Interestingly, Pujara and Rahane were up against each other in the first match of the Ranji Trophy, with Mumbai taking on Saurashtra. Rahane scored a fine century, but Pujara failed to make a mark.

Asked if they could still come back into the team if they impressed in the Ranji Trophy, Chetan Sharma said:

"Why not? If they’ve played for the country and served the country for so long, then why not? Ajinkya got a hundred yesterday, playing a match against Saurashtra. There is a graph in a cricketer’s life that goes up and down. It doesn’t always just go up. So when you are going through a rough patch, it is very important on the selectors’ part as to how to handle our boys."

He added:

"You can’t just ignore someone who has played for the country for so long. So our biggest point was that we are giving you rest for two matches; you go and play Ranji Trophy. Cricketers are always taught to go back to your basics."

"Which here means to go and play domestic cricket, and if there is any problem, rectify that. Come bac;, come back in the team, and we’ll be very happy if such a big cricketer comes back into the team."

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"Had requested them to play Ranji Trophy" - Chetan Sharma on Ishant Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha

Apart from Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha are the two other experienced players left out of the Test squad for the Sri Lanka series.

Chetan Sharma explained Sharma and Saha have also been told that it's for the upcoming two matches only that they have been overlooked, saying:

"So far, we have only told them that we will not consider them for two Test matches. In those matches, we will see how the players who have been given a chance perform."

Saha and Sharma both opted out of the domestic First-Class competition, though.

While Rishabh Pant has taken Saha's spot, the rise of young pacers like Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur has seen Sharma get fewer chances recently.

However, Chetan Sharma insisted that they too can make their way back to the team, explaining:

"We are nobody to close the door on anybody. This is cricket. If you score runs and take wickets, you’ll play for the national team. That is the most important aspect. So that is the idea of the selection committee, that if we want to give someone a break or not select them, we tell them the period of time for that," he said.

He added:

"In that time, I have requested all four of them, even Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha, to go and play Ranji Trophy, which is very important because selectors are paying a lot of importance to the Ranji Trophy and domestic cricket."

"And the Ranji Trophy is being played after so lon;, so if you have not been given an opportunity with the national team, you should go play Ranji Trophy. And then it shows how you are doing, and selectors are in every venue watching Ranji Trophy.

Chetan Sharma said that they the players were informed straight after the tour of South Africa that they would not be picked for the Sri Lanka Tests.

On Saha not playing in the Ranji Trophy, Chetan Sharma said it's a question for the Cricket Association of Bengal. The selectors' purview is only to advise the players to take part in the tournament.

"As for why Wriddhiman Saha is not playing the Ranji Trophy, the state association CAB can tell you why. That is not my jurisdiction. It was our job to just tell them to play Ranji Trophy."

"This selection committee wants players, unless they are are unfit or doing workload management or playing international cricket, to play the Ranji Trophy. That is very important. And if someone does not want to play, selection committee does not interfere in state matters."

The first of the two Tests against Sri Lanka begins on March 4 in Mohali.