BCCI announced India's squad for the first Test of the upcoming two-match series on Sunday (September 8) with Yash Dayal being the only surprise pick among the lot. A total of eight players who featured in the England series were dropped but that was on the expected lines with Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant returning to the set-up.
A few players have not been selected consistently now for a few series and it seems that the doors of a comeback are closed for them. Here we look at the three players who are unlikely to comeback to India's Test team:
Once known as India's Wall 2.0, Cheteshwar Pujara is no more in the pecking order to get picked again for the Indian Test team. He last played for India in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at the Oval in June 2023. Pujara was dropped even before the WTC final as well but a good run with the bat in the County Championship and his experience led to selectors recalling him for the summit clash against Australia which India eventually lost. Pujara's form had deserted for long before the management decided to move on from him and at 36, the selectors are unlikely to go back to him again. He played 103 Test matches for India scoring 7195 runs at an average of 43.6 with 19 centuries and 35 fifties to his name.
Ajinkya Rahane, like Pujara, has also lost his place in the Indian team for more than a year now. His form too wasn't great for quite some time and yet, made a comeback for the WTC final and was also picked for the subsequent series against the West Indies away from home in July 2023. However, continued low returns meant he was dropped never to be called back again. Rahane wasn't even selected in any of the four Duleep Trophy squads indicating his run with the Indian team has ended. He played 85 Test matches scoring 5077 runs at an average of 38.46 with 12 tons and 26 fifties to his name. With the management looking for more middle-order options in India's squad, Rahane is unlikely to get picked again.
3. KS Bharat
KS Bharat made a name for himself as the best wicketkeeper in India and after Rishabh Pant's serious accident, he was picked as the first choice to do the job. However, he couldn't live up to the reputation not only behind the stumps but also with the bat. He played seven Test matches and could only muster 221 runs at a mediocre average of 20.09 with the best score of only 44. With Pant making a comeback and Dhruv Jurel being selected as a backup wicketkeeper, Bharat is unlikely to make a comeback now to the Test team.
