Twitterati react to the Indian Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka

The Indian selectors named the 16-man Test squad for the tour of Sri Lanka and opted to make a few changes from the team they fielded against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Karun Nair who is better known for being the second batsman from the country to score a triple century in Tests has been dropped from the team; meanwhile, he will be leading the India A squad in South Africa.

Another exclusion is that of allrounder Jayant Yadav who got his Test career off to a brilliant start in the series against England as he scored a hundred, a fifty and picked 9 wickets in 3 Tests. In the Australia series, he was a part of the XI in Pune but could only pick a wicket in each innings and couldn’t get going with the bat either. The team management eventually decided to pick Kuldeep Yadav in the team for the last Test in Dharamsala and he had a brilliant debut.

The Chinaman has thus been retained in the team as he has been tough for the batsmen to pick in the longest format as well as in limited-overs cricket. Tamil Nadu skipper Abhinav Mukund has been able to retain his spot in the team while opener KL Rahul after missing out a lot of action for almost 4 months which included the IPL as well as the Champions Trophy is set to make a return in the team.

Three spinners named in the team are Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep whereas the pace bowling attack also has a comeback man in Mohammed Shami who last played a Test match in November 2016. Umesh, Bhuvneshwar and Ishant are the other three pacers forming the quartet.

They also have the option of seam bowling allrounder Hardik Pandya in the team who will be included in case they are looking to strengthen the batting and there is something on offer for the seamers from the pitch which is unlikely considering the series will be played in Sri Lanka.

India Test squad vs Sri Lanka: Virat Kohli (C), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Kuldeep Yadav, Abhinav Mukund

Here is how Twitterati reacted

Abhinav Mukund still finds favours from selectors while Gautam Gambhir does not. #IndianCricketTeam

— Devarchit (@Devarchit) July 9, 2017

MSK Prasad had said: "Even if 10 openers are there we will choose Gautam Gambhir" Words of no worth. @BCCI

— Team Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir97) July 9, 2017

Mukund can be in team but not a class act like Gambhir. Wah! #dirtypolitics ??
chutiyappa by @BCCI?

Anyways, congrats Pandya!? #INDvSL https://t.co/nOnDkp2Tfb

— Prathit Mahapatra (@i_Prathit) July 9, 2017

I guess the fact that Karun Nair was asked to lead the 'A' team was an indicator that he won't make the test squad to Sri Lanka

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 9, 2017

Media houses: Karun Nair dropped from Test team.
Reality: He isn't available for the series, he's part of the India A team. Silly reporting

— Arun Gopalakrishnan (@statanalyst) July 9, 2017

Karun nair one 300 is not enough. Consistent performance will keep u in Indian team not in 1 match.@karun126 @cricketaakash

— Mahesh kumar jain (@maheshjain86) July 9, 2017

Like seriously? Abhinav Mukund for in the squad for the SL tour?! Is he the best we've got? Karun Nair axed too! What the hell!?

— Pranav Joshi (@pranavjoshi) July 9, 2017

It's really injustice to drop Karun Nair Ishant made the mark in Test what about Shardul Thakur & Bumrah.

— Manoj Sawant (@TheManojSawant) July 9, 2017

The only reason behind the selection of @ImRo45 over @karun126 z 2 improve the avg of R.Sharma against weak Sri Lankans.#ultimatepolitics

— Sanjeev Raj (@imsanjeev12) July 9, 2017

How #bcci decide #RSharma better than #KarunNair?
Two centuries in home vs WI better than a TRIPLE TON!! #Politics https://t.co/kJlAk2Ahyv

— Sanjeev Raj (@imsanjeev12) July 9, 2017

So Karun Nair's fate probably rests with India A from now on then… shame

— Crash Bandicoot (@ffs1230) July 9, 2017

I really don't understand how they dropped Jayant Yadav and picked Hardik Pandya on that spinning tracks if at all they want to play 5 bowl.

— Sunny (@bornlegendsays) July 9, 2017

Really surprised to see Jayant Yadav dropped from test squad. I didn't understand on basis he was dropped and Pandya retained. #SLvIND

— Sunny (@bornlegendsays) July 9, 2017

Once Karun was picked for India-A tour to South Africa, it was evident that he won't be going to SL. Test squad along expected lines #SLvInd

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) July 9, 2017

surprised to see Karun Nair's name out of the squad and Mukund retaining as opener despite of Scoring duck in his previous game. #SLvIND

— Ananth (@AN4NTH) July 9, 2017