Pujara, Rahane in action with the Indian Test side.
Credit: Reuters Photo
India on Saturday scripted a record they could have done without—a first Test series loss on home soil in 12 years.
After getting all out for 46 (another unwanted record—lowest-ever total in a Test innings at home) in the first innings of the first Test match against New Zealand in the ongoing series, Rohit Sharma was confident his men could turn things around.
"Games like these happen. We will move forward. We lost a game against England and won four games after that. We know exactly what is needed from each one of us," the 36 year-old had said at the post-match presentation ceremony in Bengaluru.
However, the gods of cricket did not smile on the men in blue (technically white) this time around. India went on to lose the first two Test matches while New Zealand capped a historic week in cricket which began with their women's team winning the T20I World Cup and ended with the men scripting their first Test series win on Indian soil.
After India's dismal performance in both matches, fans are blaming the selectors. A number of social media users wondered why the selectors chose to leave out Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane—veterans of red-ball cricket—in the ongoing series.
They are also calling for the addition of Pujara and Rahane to the side that is set to travel to Australia for their biennial Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
Here is what a fan said regarding India's team selection for the NZ series
Another fan said, "shameless Bcci, Rahane and Pujara helped a lot win the test series in Australia.. Still they are not in the team. Bring Pujara back in the team for BGT..."
Another social media user said, "Please mark my words @bcci a more destruction is coming if you don’t backup special test batsman rahane pujara shami ishant."
No matter what the fans say, it looks unlikely that Rahane and Pujara will be brought back into the Test squad. Pujara's last Test was the World Test Championship final in June 2023, while Rahane was part of the squad that toured the West Indies in July of the same year.
India next face New Zealand at the Wankhede in Mumbai for the last Test of the ongoing series. Rohit & co. will be determined to prevent an embarrassing whitewash on home soil.