The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee Chairman Chetan Sharma announced team India for the upcoming series against Sri Lanka on February 19 (Saturday). While Rohit Sharma was made the permanent captain for the Indian Test team, the biggest news was that veteran cricketers- Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara were dropped from the Test team.
In a situation like this, Rahane did wonders in Ranji Trophy and Pujara on the other hand played a terrific innings after failing in the first innings.
Pujara's brilliant knock
On February 20 (Sunday), Pujara played a brilliant innings of 91 runs off just 83 balls against Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy on the fourth day. Pujara hit 16 fours and 1 six in his innings. But in the first innings, Pujara had to depart without scoring a single run.
Rahane also scored a century while playing for Mumbai against Saurashtra, in the first innings. Rahane scored 129 runs off 290 balls and his innings was comprised of 17 boundaries and 2 sixes. Mumbai eventually reached a big total of 544 runs losing 7 wickets.
In reply, Saurashtra could not start the first innings on a positive note after they lost their first five wickets scoring just 76 runs. Later, Sheldon Jackson (61 runs off 88 balls) and Chirag Jani (40 runs off 84 balls) helped their side in averting the early danger. Eventually, Saurashtra managed to reach a total of 220 runs losing all 10 wickets.
For Mumbai, their bowlers, Mohit Avasthi and Shams Mulani picked up four wickets each.
But their 220 runs were not sufficient to avoid a follow-on.
A solid battle
In second innings, Saurashtra wicketkeeper Snell Patel (98 runs off 155 balls) and Pujara (91 runs off 83 balls) displayed a terrific batting show.
In the Indian team, apart from Rahane and Pujara, experienced fast bowler Ishant Sharma has also been dropped from the team. Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja on the other hand is set to make a comeback to the Indian team after suffering an elbow injury during the Kanpur Test against New Zealand.
Veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was also selected for the Indian team but his availability will depend on his fitness status.
