Twitter Reactions: Shikhar Dhawan replaces Murali Vijay for Sri Lankan tour

It was almost certain that Murali Vijay would walk down to the middle of the park alongside KL Rahul to face the Sri Lankan bowlers. The right-handed batsman was ruled out of the series, with a wrist injury which meant the southpaw Shikhar Dhawan got another go in the Indian Test team.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed it through a media release, meaning that Rohit Sharma might have to wait a bit more to check in to his place in the Test Playing XI. Vijay, played with a fractured wrist during India’s 13-match marathon home series, missing a solitary Test against Australia in Bengaluru, before returning for the last two matches.

Post which Vijay went to the United Kingdom for surgery on his injured right wrist which had forced him out of the Indian Premier League where he was supposed to represent the Kings XI Punjab. Just ahead of the Sri Lanka tour, the right-hander complained of pain in his right wrist during a preparatory match.

Selectors have to make a choice between Dhawan and Mukund:

Dhawan comes into the squad, with Rohit and Abhinav Mukund being the two standby openers with the latter preferred over the former purely on the basis of the format. The Tamil Nadu opener had a prolific season with the bat in the domestic season, with runs flowing free from his bat. Mukund replaced the injured Vijay in the Bengaluru game against Australia, where he made a string of low scores before Vijay returned to the Playing XI.

The selectors then had to make a choice between two prolific southpaws from Shikhar Dhawan and Gautam Gambhir. The selectors overlooked Gambhir’s experience against Dhawan’s free-flowing form that he exhibited in the Indian Premier League, before following it up in the Champions Trophy.

While a group of Twitterati condemned the decision of selecting Dhawan over the experienced willow of Gambhir, the others were content with the selection on the basis of the former’s form in the recently concluded Champions Trophy.

Here is how Twitter reacted to the selection call:

Shikhar Dhawan trending on Top and no men's ICC event going on.. mark the date!

— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) July 17, 2017

That moment when Gambhir heard the news that Shikhar Dhawan is going to replace injured Murali Vijay for SL tour.#ShikharDhawan pic.twitter.com/Zy53rEtxwd

— Boring… (@graphicalcomic) July 17, 2017

"Shikhar Dhawan" Openers are always injured and Dhawan must be feeling like pic.twitter.com/duvdmSfRHa

— Aggrieved (@Dejctd1) July 17, 2017

@BCCI can u explain this
GAUTAM GAMBHIR is far better than shikhar dhawan in first class cricket??? pic.twitter.com/J0Je39y2mo

— nitish sharma (@nitishsharma812) July 17, 2017

At 33 Murli Vijay better starts staying on the park more often, Great opportunity for Shikhar Dhawan again. Can understand this. #slvIND

— Kashish Chadha (@crickashish217) July 17, 2017

Why is Shikhar Dhawan trending?Champions Trophy fir se shuru hua kya?

— Abhishek (@SsupHolmes) July 17, 2017

Sad to hear that "Murali Vijay" is replaced by @SDhawan25 … Will the test match look like a test match now?

— Sumit Agah (@sumitagah) July 17, 2017

@SDhawan25 Arey Deewano ese Pehchano Kahan Se Aaya Ye Hain Koun….,,????? pic.twitter.com/3L5yZPIyn1

— ankit singh (@akki27as) July 17, 2017

is "Shikhar Dhawan" the NDA's VP candidate?

— AM (@iamamenon) July 17, 2017

But it's Abhinav Mukund's right to be in the playing XI before Dhawan. A replacement should never bypass the original choice. #SLvIND

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 17, 2017

Shikhar Dhawan is back in tests in place of injured Vijay, last time on SL tour he scored 134 in Galle, since then just 1 fifty in tests.

— Abhijeet (@TheYorkerBall) July 17, 2017

Naam h iska gabbar aur ye bhari pdega sab par??@SDhawan25 https://t.co/2I1czBwhgX

— Amit Kumar (@_A_kumar) July 17, 2017

Now Bhoomi Pujan Shikhar Dhawan will do Hawan in Sri Lanka as he's selected in Indian test team in place of injured Murali Vijay. pic.twitter.com/D9ov4TDlML

— Principle Patel (@PatelSiddhant_) July 17, 2017

Shikhar Dhawan:

On the verge of getting dropped from ODI side to got selected for Test side..

He will replace injured Vijay for SL series!

— Broken Cricket (@BrokenCricket) July 17, 2017

Well done @BCCI
Again you prove performance is no more criteria for selection thank u for biased again???
We want GAUTAM GAMBHIR pic.twitter.com/KR6olES6U8

— nitish sharma (@nitishsharma812) July 17, 2017