The end for Cheteshwar Pujara, the Test batter, may be near. The right-hander, who made the No. 3 spot his own following Rahul Dravid’s retirement, may have already played his last Test match for India.
As per the Times of India, the Indian team management has decided to look past Cheteshwar Pujara and wait for the next generation of Indian batters.
With Gill struggling at the No. 3 spot and Iyer failing to make the most of the opportunity, the question was bound to be asked: will the selectors and management look towards Cheteshwar Pujara as an option?
The answer from the management was loud and clear. They want nothing to do with the more experienced batters in Pujara and even Ajinkya Rahane.
According to BCCI sources, the Indian team management and the selection committee have decided to move on from Pujara and look for the ‘next generation of batters’.
Is it justified to move on from Cheteshwar Pujara?
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Sarfaraz Khan are players who are nearly a decade younger than Cheteshwar Pujara and are either playing or in the squad for the ongoing India vs England Test series.
Apart from these, players like Sai Sudharsan and Tilak Varma are also waiting on the wings, having already represented the India A side. With so many options available, the management and the selector’s decision to move on may be correct.
If we look for more experienced batters, Priyank Panchal and Abhimanyu Easwaran are also waiting for a chance. They have been on multiple India A tours outside and have a proven record in domestic cricket.
Editors pick
