Top five Indian players who missed selection for first two Tests vs England

Team India has announced its squad for the opening two Tests versus England on Friday. Ben Stokes and his side will play five Test matches in India starting on January 25. The squad announcement made late on Friday night caught many off-guard. 

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Dhruv Jurel was given his first taste of international as he was included in the team. The 22-year-old from Uttar Pradesh has been in good form in the longest format of the game. While the squad contains some exciting names, there are a few players who have missed the bus.

In this article, we take a closer look at the top five Indian stars who weren’t part of the first two Tests versus England. 

Cheteshwar Pujara –

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India’s veteran batter has been in good form during the recent Indian domestic tournament. Cheteshwar Pujara scored 243 not out versus Jharkhand to send a timely reminder to the selectors. In a surprising move, the soon-to-be 36-year-old was snubbed for selection as Shubman Gill retained his place in the team.

Ajinkya Rahane –

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Yet another Indian veteran who has been snubbed by the Indian selectors. Mumbai’s skipper Ajinkya Rahane is yet to play the domestic games this season. The 35-year-old has sat out of Mumbai’s opening two games of the season due to unknown reasons. This is perhaps one of the main factors that saw Ajinkya Rahane miss a place in the Indian team.

Ishan Kishan –

After pulling out of India’s Test series versus South Africa, Ishan Kishan has been in the news ever since. Despite the comments made by Coach Rahul Dravid, 25-year-old Ishan Kishan isn’t part of the Test squad. It is not yet known if the youngster is still suffering from mental fatigue. Dhruv Jurel’s selection has meant that Ishan Kishan is the latest player to be snubbed by the Indian selectors.

Jaydev Unadkat –

India’s veteran left-arm seamer Jaydev Unadkat enjoyed a brief breezy return to the Test team late last year. The 32-year-old last played for India during the West Indies tour and went wicketless in each innings. Despite having years of experience behind him, Unadkat’s snub by the Indian selectors is hard to fathom.

Prasidh Krishna –

India’s latest test entrant was treated to the harsh realities of the longest format during the South African series. The 27-year-old was snubbed by the Indian selectors in favour of Avesh Khan for the first two Tests. With just two wickets from two games, Prasidh Krishna will have to wait a while before donning the whites for India once again.