BCCI selectors pick an identical squad for the series: The wise-men in BCCI have done the same thing for the ‘n’th time, pick up an identical squad that travelled to West Indies under the captaincy of Virat Kohli for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, at home.
They have not deviated from their ordained principle of NOT ‘looking beyond’. Do not understand whether they have tried to play safe.
The job of picking the squad might have got over in under 10 minutes. With the kind of players they have picked, it appears hardly anyone, beyond the regulars would even have been discussed, let alone being picked up.
This act shows the lack of ‘risk-taking’ ability in the selectors. If new and deserving players are not tried and tested in a home series, when and where would they get opportunities?
India, ranked 2nd in ICC Test Team rankings would be taking on New Zealand, a team ranked 7th in the hierarchy and that too at home. Yet the BCCI selectors could not show courage in picking up some youngsters who all have done exceedingly well in the 2015-16 domestic season and also in the Quadrangular series and the ongoing unofficial Test series against Australia A.
Manish Pandey who has accumulated 359 runs from 7 innings (once unbeaten) at an average of 59.83 with 110 runs as his individual best in the recently concluded Quadrangular series has been one contender to get a call for the national duty.
Shreyas Iyer, who had amassed 1,321 runs from 18 innings in Ranji Trophy 2015-16 also deserved a ‘look in’. Home series is just about the opportunity to try these youngsters. They are also to be given opportunity when they are in good form.
Unless this happens we would get to see a number of Amol Muzumdars and Subramanium Bandrinaths coming up in the system.
BCCI selectors need to take note. Will they?
The squad:
Virat Kohli (Capt), Ajinkya Rahane, R Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Shami, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, M Vijay, Umesh Yadav