We look at five players who lost their place in the Test squad.
India’s squad for the first Test against Bangladesh has been a topic of discussion since yesterday. While most consistent performers were awarded a place on the team, there were also a few notable absences.
The selection process clears one thing – selectors will prefer domestic performers over experience, no matter the stature. The inclusion of Yash Dayal is the prime example, for he did well in the Duleep Trophy and got an immediate look.
We look at five players who lost their place in the Test squad.
Shreyas Iyer is among the most noticeable names absent from the Test squad. He played in the first two Tests against England before a back injury kept him out of the action, leading to his snub from the national contract.
Despite his superior spin game, Iyer doesn’t find a spot over Sarfaraz Khan, with the latter awarded for his consistency in his debut series earlier this year. Iyer’s comeback is possible only by performing in the domestic arena for his state side.
Rajat Patidar’s exclusion was expected after his consistent failures in the debut series against England and the Duleep Trophy. With senior players returning, Patidar could have pressed a case by performing in his opportunities like Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan, but that couldn’t happen.
With a jammed middle order, he might not find a spot in the Indian Test team anytime soon despite being immensely skilled. Talent is only awarded when that translates into performances, but several better players are ahead in the pecking order in the current scenario.
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Devdutt Padikkal was another impressive debutant in the England series, scoring 65 runs in his first Test innings. However, he couldn’t find a spot in the side, even after making a fine 56 in the second innings in the Duleep Trophy.
However, his exclusion is understandable, for Sarfaraz and Jurel are better spin players and showed better application during the England series. Maybe he will feel unlucky, but several players fight for two spots, which tempts selectors to make hard decisions.
KS Bharat’s snub was imminent, especially after Rishabh Pant’s return and the rise of Dhruv Jurel. While Bharat’s wicketkeeping skills were decent, he didn’t really look solid in his primary skill – batting.
His run-scoring range looked limited, leading to his omission from the XI in the England series after the initial two games. India have as many as three wicketkeeping options in the squad for the Bangladesh series, which means no place for Bharat.
Mukesh Kumar’s exclusion is interesting, for he was India’s all-format bowler till the last series. Selectors seemed impressed with Akash Deep’s expertise, especially in the Duleep Trophy fixture, where he took nine wickets and scored valuable runs in the lower order.
Further, the team also required a left-arm pacer to have a variety, which they got in Yash Dayal. The recency bias is a major factor in the selection of Akash Deep and Yash Dayal, and Mukesh Kumar had to face the axe.
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