02 August,2018 07:15 AM IST | Mumbai | Harit N Joshi
Cheteshwar Pujara
While Indian cricket followers expressed surprise over the exclusion of seasoned Test No. 3 batsman Cheteshwar Pujara for the first Test against England at Edgbaston yesterday, former India coach Madan Lal and ex-chairman of selectors Kiran More gave a thumbs up to the team management's decision to play in-form KL Rahul instead.
Pujara, who reached the United Kingdom a couple of months before the Test series, had a tough time with Yorkshire, scoring just 172 runs in six matches at 14.33 in the Division One County C'ship. Earlier in June, he scored just 35 in the one-off Test against Afghanistan at Bangalore. In the solitary tour game against Essex, Pujara was dismissed for one and 23. Rahul has not looked back since his fruitful IPL-11 and the limited overs series against England.
"If a player is not in form then it is only fair that the one in good touch gets a chance. It is a big test for Rahul, who is rated quite highly. Pujara didn't have any big performances to merit a chance in the playing XI," Madan Lal said. More is confident that Pujara will make a comeback in the series. "It is sad that he is not part of the playing XI. It is more to do with his form than anything else. And it's a five-Test series⦠I am sure he will get an opportunity," said More.
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