‘Bad precedent’: Sanjay Manjrekar slams selectors for picking Test squad on the basis of IPL performances

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the Indian squad for the forthcoming tour of Australia. The selection committee picked the team for all three series and few new names were seen on the sheet. While Rohit Sharma’s name was missing from all three squads, KL Rahul made a comeback in the Test squad.

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The team selection has raised several eyebrows with strange decisions. Sanjay Manjrekar was quick to question the selection of Rahul in the Test squad purely on the basis of his IPL performance. Rahul is currently the leading run-scorer in the IPL 2020 with 595 runs in the tournament so far.

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Manjrekar expressed his disagreement on Twitter and wrote: “You set a bad precedent when you recall a player for Tests on IPL performance. Especially if the player has been an abject failure in his last few Tests. Whether that player succeeds or fails is irrelevant, such selections massively demotivate Ranji players.”

Rahul played his last Test in August 2019 against West Indies. He was on a poor run of form in the format before being dropped from the team.

Manjrekar posted another tweet raising question on his recent form in the longest format. “Played against WI at home after difficult series...3 innings. 0,4 and 33 n.o. Plus in WI ( Not difficult series ) got 44,38,13,6. His last test series,” he tweeted.

Mohammed Siraj received his maiden Test call-up. He was breathing fire against Kolkata Knight Riders when he registered figures of 4-2-8-3 and sucked the life out of their innings. He is selected as the fifth pacer in the squad while Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav were the straightforward choices along with Navdeep Saini.

Rohit wasn’t selected in the team owing to an injury he sustained while playing in the IPL. However, the selection committee has said he will be monitored by the team doctors.

India’s Test Squad for Australia tour: Virat Kohli (c), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Rishabh Pant (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav, Navdeep Saini, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Mohdammed Siraj