Skip to main content

BCCI May Rope In 103-Test Ignored Veteran For Australia Tour: Report

Cheteshwar Pujara was a walking nightmare for Pat Cummins and company on the last two tours of Australia and the seasoned campaigner could be a surprise pick in India's jumbo squad for the upcoming five-Test series Down Under. The selectors are expected to announce the squad on October 28. Pujara could get the selectors' nod if Ajit Agarkar and his team decide to fall back on his experience. The 36-year-old was the leading run-getter in the 2018-19 series with 521 runs off 1258 balls and was once again the backbone of Indian batting three years later when he accumulated 271 runs off 928 balls.

Across the two teams, the 103-Test veteran by far faced the most number of balls to wear out the opposition attack comprising Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Pujara has not played for India since the World Test Championship final in June last year.

His appetite for big runs hasn't satiated yet as he scored 234 off 383 balls against Chattisgarh in the last Ranji Trophy round.

Reddy being prepared as a seamer all-rounder

Despite his good performances in the Bangladesh series, Nitish Reddy won't be a part of the T20s in South Africa after being picked in the India A squad for the shadow tour of Australia.

While Shardul Thakur's experience can come in handy, he hasn't done anything worth taking note of since his comeback from injury. Thakur, however, did make an impact on the last tour of Australia where a second string India were able to defeat the mighty hosts at the Gabba and the win the series for the second time in a row.

One among Mayank, Harshit could be picked

Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep select themselves in the Test squad but the likes of Avesh Khan and Yash Dayal are also in the mix. Mohammed Shami declared himself pain free on Monday but he might not be fully fit for the initial part of the series beginning in Perth on November 22.



source https://sports.ndtv.com/cricket/bcci-may-rope-in-103-test-veteran-vs-australia-ignored-star-hasnt-played-internationals-in-over-1-year-report-6850534

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

156.7 Kmph Sensation Awaits India Debut, Bangladesh Start Life After Shakib

Pace sensation Mayank Yadav is expected to unleash his raw speed while the absence of India's T20 regulars will provide another opportunity to the fringe players in the three-match series against Bangladesh, beginning here Sunday. Having consistently generated speed in excess of 150kmph in his maiden IPL earlier this year, Mayank had drawn the attention of the cricketing world before a side strain ruled him out of the tournament. Usually, one has to prove fitness in domestic cricket to be considered for national selection but the 22-year-old has been fast-tracked into the side considering his special talent. The series against Bangladesh will be a test of his fitness and temperament. It is yet to be figured if he can display the same accuracy and control that he exhibited in the IPL. Besides Mayank, fellow Delhi pacer Harshit Rana and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy could also make their India debut over the course of the series. Nitish was picked for the Zimbabwe tour post the T...

PCB Not Happy With Pak Star Over Social Media Post On Babar Snub: Report

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is not pleased that Fakhar Zaman questioned the selection panel's decision to sideline Babar Azam from the Test side. The panel dropped former captain Babar Azam when they announced the squad for the remaining two Tests against England in Multan and Rawalpindi. Zaman took to X to question the decision, inviting the ire of the PCB. "The top board officials are not pleased with the tweet sent out by Fakhar and relevant persons are having a word with him about it," a well-informed PCB source said. "It's concerning to hear suggestions about dropping Babar Azam. India didn't bench Virat Kohli during his rough stretch between 2020 and 2023, when he averaged 19.33, 28.21, and 26.50, respectively. "If we are considering sidelining our premier batsman, arguably the best Pakistan has ever produced, it could send a deeply negative message across the team. There is still time to avoid pressing the panic button; we should focus on sa...

Shakib Al Hasan's Fans Attacked During Protest In Dhaka Amid Tight Security

A group of people attacked Shakib Al Hasan's fans during a protest in Dhaka on Sunday amid tight security, an eye witness said. Shakib Al Hasan wanted to retire from Test cricket by playing the series against South Africa in Bangladesh. The BCB responded positively to his request and included him in the squad against South Africa. But he was advised by the Bangladesh government not to enter the country due to security reasons while in transit through Dubai on his way back to Bangladesh from the US. Fans had been protesting outside the cricket stadium in Mirpur for several days to protest against Shakib's ban from playing the farewell Test in Bangladesh. On Sunday, a group of people suddenly attacked them with sticks. At that time, the army and law enforcement personnel who were there brought the situation under control by blowing whistles. Notably, Shakib officially joined the Awami League party in 2023. He filed the nomination from the Magura-1 parliamentary seat as an Awami...