Although India are all pepped up as they head towards the two-match Test series against Sri Lanka which will start from Friday (February 4), but the team will certainly miss the services of Test specialists like Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane who failed to find a place in the squad owing to their misfiring form.
On the eve of the first Test match against Sri Lanka, India's skipper Rohit Sharma said that it won't be easy to fill in the big shoes of Rahane and Pujara.
"Pujara and Rahane played a big part in India becoming No.1 in Tests. It's just for now, we didn't consider them. Never easy to fill in big shoes of Rahane and Pujara. You can't put it in words what they have done for team "All those overseas victories, we becoming No.1, they played big part. It's just for now, we didn't consider them," Rohit said.
"There is no way that these guys would not be looked upon in the future, they will be in our plans. Like the selector also said, it is just for now that we did not consider them. There is nothing written about them not being considered for the series later on," he added.
When asked about his preferred opening partner in the absence of KL Rahul, Rohit said: "I am a captain, I'll prefer everyone to be in the team. We will see and analyze everything and then we will take a call. Mayank, Shubman, Shreyas and Vihari, all are brilliant and they are the future of Indian cricket."
Meanwhile, both Rahane and Pujara are currently playing for their respective state teams in the ongoing Ranji Trophy and have managed to regain some form. The senior batters have been instrumental in India's success in Tests over the last few years and will be looking to make their comeback on the back of a strong run in the domestic circuit.
Out of favour veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara and former Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane were downgraded in the latest central contracts list of the BCCI that was ratified by the Board's Apex Council on Wednesday (February 2).
The BCCI has four categories, A+ which has annual remuneration of Rs 7 crore while A, B and C categories are valued at Rs 5 crore, Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively. Last time, 28 cricketers were provided central contracts but this year, 27 have been awarded contracts with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah static as A+ players.
Accordingly, Pujara, Rahane and Ishant Sharma, who were in Grade A are now in Grade B, after a slump in form that saw them being dropped from the upcoming home Test series against Sri Lanka.
Rohit was also asked about his opening preferences to which he said," I have no preferences for opening partner, come on. We will analyse the options we have now and then take a call."
"Mayank, Shubman, Vihari, Iyer... all these guys are brilliant, they are the future of Indian cricket," he further added.
India's squad: Rohit Sharma (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hanuma Vihari, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Jayant Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Kona Bharat (wk), Umesh Yadav, Saurabh Kumar, Priyank Panchal.
Sri Lanka's squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (captain), Dhanajaya De Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dushmantha Chammeera, Dinesh Chandimal, Angelo Mathews, Niroshan Dickwella, Lasith Embuldeniya, Vishwa Fernando, Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Thirimanne, Lahiru Kumara, Kusal Mendis (wk), Pathum Nssanka, Jeffrey Vandersay, Praveen Jayawickrama, Chamika Karunaratne.