The All-India Senior Selection Committee has announced separate squads for the upcoming tours against New Zealand. The NZ series for the ODI format will be led by Shikhar Dhawan, while the T20 series has shocked the fans after Team India witnessed Hardik Pandya leading the team. India’s Test and ODI teams for the December tour of Bangladesh have also been announced by the BCCI. Between December 4 and December 26, the two teams will play three one-day internationals and two test matches. Given their standing in the current World Test Championship cycle and their need to go to the final, India must win the Test series.
Ajinkya Rahane is still left out of the Test team. Rahane was excluded for the following reason, according to chairman of selctors Sharma –
“The doors are always open for those who perform. Cheteshwar Pujara performed and he is there (in the team). Ajinkya Rahane is trying hard, and also scored some runs, but to return to the team he has to score more runs. And he knows that, he’s in constant touch with the selection committee.”
“The Ranji Trophy is coming up and Vijay Hazare is also there. Let’s hope that he performs well, the doors are always open for those who perform. If you look at the middle order and how packed it is, even Hanuma Vihari doesn’t have a place. So to break into this, the kind of performance that is required, the selectors don’t have to tell Ajinkya about it. He understands that. He is a great player, played 90-odd Test matches and he knows how to get into the team,” said Chetan Sharma.
