Ashwin exclusion: Rahane defends move after Gavaskar's 'astonishment'

Ajinkya Rahane defended the team management's hard call as he felt that combination warranted Ravindra Jadeja as the single spinner and Hanuma Vihari as the sixth batsman.

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar expressed his "astonishment" at the exclusion of senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin from the playing XI against West Indies, a team against whom he has done exceedingly well.

However vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane defended the team management's hard call as he felt that combination warranted Ravindra Jadeja as the single spinner and Hanuma Vihari as the sixth batsman.

"(The selection) astonished me," Gavaskar said while doing commentary for official broadcasters Sony.

Ashwin has scored 552 runs with four hundreds and taken 60 wickets with four five-fors against the West Indies in 11 Tests (home and away).

"A man with that kind of record, especially against West Indies. He doesn't find a place in this playing XI. That is stunning. Astonishing," Gavaskar said, hardly able to suppress his anger.

However, India's top performer Rahane explained why the decision was taken.

"It's difficult when you miss a player like Ashwin but team management is always thinking as to what is the best combination.

"They thought Jadeja was a good option on this wicket as we needed a sixth batsman, who can actually bowl. Vihari can actually bowl on this track. So that was the communication between captain and coach. It is hard to find players like Ashwin and Rohit (Sharma) sit out but's all for the team," Rahane said at post-match media interaction.

Business Standard

Selectors are wrong, Gill, Rahane must be in team for West Indies: Ganguly

Gill has already expressed his disappointment at not being picked in the squad for the limited overs series in the Caribbean.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday questioned the omission of veteran Ajinkya Rahane and young Shubman Gill from the ODI squad for the tour of West Indies, urging the selection committee to be consistent with their policies.

An inconsistent Kedar Jadhav has been retained while Gill, who has been adjudged man-of-the-series in the five List A games in the West Indies, scoring 218 runs.

Ganguly took to Twitter to take a dig at the selectors stating the main agenda should be picking the best possible team and not making people happy.

"Time has come for Indian selectors to pick same players in all formats of the game for rhythm and confidence.. too few are playing in all formats ..great teams had consistent players ..it's not about making all happy but picking the best for the country and be consistent @bcci," Ganguly tweeted.

"Here are many in the squad who can play all formats ..surprised not to see Shubman Gill. Rahane in the one day squad," he added.

Gill has already expressed his disappointment at not being picked in the squad for the limited overs series in the Caribbean.

The MSK Prasad-led selection committee picked India's squads for the T20I, ODI and Test squads for the tour of West Indies on Sunday.

Barring left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, no other Indian player features in all 3 formats for the West Indies tour.

Business Standard

Ind vs WI 2nd Test: Kohli-led India look to dominate, WI seek redemption

The lop-sided matches are hardly the kind of preparation the Indian team would have wanted before the big-ticket series against Australia starting December.

India Vs West Indies Test Series : India's ruthless home run is unlikely to be challenged when the team takes on a below-par West Indies in the second Test Friday in what threatens to be another lopsided contest.

After the hosts won the first Test by a record innings and 272 runs, there are hardly any signs that there will be a change in the script as the second Test promises to be another run-feast.

Add to it, skipper Jason Holder is still not 100 per cent fit and their only fast bowler of repute Shannon Gabriel is a doubtful starter for the encounter. India, on the other hand, have not made any changes to the squad that won the first game inside three days in Rajkot.

The lop-sided matches are hardly the kind of preparation the Indian team would have wanted before the big-ticket series against Australia starting December.

In fact, Virat Kohli's team might not be able to escape a sense of deja vu as it goes into the second Test.

In 2011, India dominated West Indies 2-0 in a one-sided series before crashing to a 0-4 defeat against Australia Down Under.

Similarly, in 2013 when India won both Test matches well inside three days, the next tour of South Africa didn't pan out well as they lost the series.

It is just an indicator that the West Indies Test teams over the years have not been competitive enough to challenge the Indian team, which is anyway formidable on home turf. ( Business Standard )

In contests like these, the focus is on challenging one's own self which skipper Virat Kohli did in the first Test where he scored 139 off 230 balls.

While 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw expectedly hogged the limelight with a smashing ton on debut, Kohli's innings was a master-class of how to set a different challenge for oneself as a batsman.

The West Indies bowling, which at best can be compared to a lower rung first-class side in India, could have been taken to the cleaners but the Indian skipper hit only 10 fours in his knock -- significantly less than Shaw's 19 boundaries and Cheteshwar Pujara's 14 hits.

The bulk of the runs 99 of them came in singles and doubles. Perhaps, he was trying to check if he curbs certain strokes, how his game will shape up. He showed a different facet to his batsmanship during the 24th Test hundred.

The only area of concern for India will be vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane's form, who was touted as the best player in overseas conditions back in 2013-14 season, when he scored 96 at Durban, 118 at Wellington, 103 at the Lord's and 145 at Melbourne... Read More