Kolkata: It was a surprise of sorts for the cricket aficionados when India lined up the final XI for the second and final Test in Mirpur. The final didn't have chinaman bowler Kuldeep Yadav, who had claimed 8 wickets (five in the first innings and 3 in the second). The move to drop Yadav earned the wrath of many former cricketers including legendary Sunil Gavaskar.
The fact that India have now won the Test series narrowly by comfortably, the lacunas are expected to be brushed under the carpet. But since a tough season awaits Team India which includes a four-Test and three-ODI series against Australia, India need to take a fresh guard as far as the team combination is concerned.
Former India seamer Karsan Ghavri admitted that the selection policy of Team India was questionable despite the Men in Blue comfortably bagging the just-concluded Test series against Bangladesh 2-0. "If India cannot beat the Australians 4-0, it will not be a big disappointment. If India have to be in the top two in the Test Championship, they will have to thrash Australia at home, otherwise, they will be lurking in the number 3 or 4 position, which means nothing," Karsan Ghavri told ETV Bharat on Tuesday.
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And to do that, India need to make the right selection and not what they did against Bangladesh. Besides the axe on Yadav, Ghavri also was against KL Rahul playing matches one after another with a little contribution. "KL Rahul is not among runs for quite some time, he should be given a break now. Instead, someone like Prithvi Shaw should be given a look in. Shaw is among runs and Rahul has got plenty of chances," Ghavri said without mincing his words.
Ghavri also said that the middle order needs a fine blend of experience and youth. "Ajinkya Rahane is also doing well in the domestic circuit and he should find a place in the middle order," Ghavri said.
Going back to team selection flaws against Bangladesh, he also rued that left-arm medium pacer Jaydev Unadkat was given a chance, but it was too late. "Jaydev did very well in 2019 when he had 60-plus scalps, but he got an opportunity three years later which wasn't the right call by the selectors," Ghavri signed off.
