Twitterati unhappy with exclusion of Murali Vijay from Kolkata Test

The ongoing first Test between India and Sri Lanka seems to be heading no way at the moment. After an exciting hour of play on day 1, the eyes on the Indian batsmen as the conditions looked testing. Indian top order was rattled by Suranga Lakmal. It comes as no surprise that some fans were unhappy with the ouster of seasoned Test opener Murali Vijay from the match.

The team management went ahead with the combination of Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul in the game. Dhawan was picked ahead of Murali Vijay and this seems to have infuriated the social media. Tweets came in flooding in support of Vijay and many slammed Dhawan for not showing intent on the day. Well, the conditions indeed were tough and the Indian batsmen succumbed to it big time.

Suranga Lakmal bowled the spell of his life when he bowled 6 maidens on a trot. He dismissed KL Rahul on the very first ball of the Test match. This ended Rahul’s streak of 7 consecutive Test fifties. Dhawan, on the other hand, was found struggling with his feet movements too. It was only a matter of time that Dhawan became Lakmal’s another victim.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli also registered a duck and that pretty much summed up the story for the Indian batsmen on day 1. By the end of day 2, the hosts reeled on 74/5 as 147 overs of the match have already been lost due to poor weather. The fans believe that the team think tank got it all wrong in the team combination itself.

They believe that had Murali Vijay, a man known to stand at the crease for long periods against testing bowlers, been in the side, things would have been different for team India in the match. Vijay certainly has received a great deal of backing from the fans. But will the team make a change in the second game? Well, only time will tell.

Here is how the Twitterati reacted to Vijay’s exclusion from the lineup:

Why the hell is Murali Vijay made to sit out in a Test for Dhawan? Absurdity. Hope they do the same in South Africa and mess up. #INDvSL #Protea

— rohit sankar (@imRohit_SN) November 16, 2017

Cops arrest Shikhar Dhawan after complaints by angry Murali Vijay fans.?? #INDvSL #IndvsSL pic.twitter.com/TVDLYtPwd3

— Rahul (@clickator7) November 16, 2017

Murali Vijay is one of the best Test openers in the world. He knows how to negotiate the new ball in tricky conditions.

I would pick him over Dhawan any day. #INDvSL

— Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket) November 16, 2017

Just wondering what sort of punishment should one get for dropping Murali Vijay on this sort of pitch #INDvSL

— Cricket bakchod (@AllTimeBakchod) November 17, 2017

Murali Vijay should be the first choice Test Opener, not last.#IndvSL

— Himanshu Sharma (@SloppyFielder) November 16, 2017

Just because Dhawan had a good previous form. They should pick players in contentions as per situation. Even if Dhawan had scored in the first innings.. Murali Vijay over Shika Dawan in these conditions, unless Vijay has Dengue. https://t.co/CnmXtdP7JM

— Silly Point ?‏ (@FarziCricketer) November 17, 2017

Murali vijay would have been a good choice on a green top instead of Bhoomipujan…he knows how to leave the ball outside off stump

— SHASHI (@shashi555m) November 17, 2017

#INDvSL leaving the ball is an art but couldn't c anyone here achieving it. Test match is more of patience. Respect the pitch n bowler. #MuraliVijay #pujara skilled in it

— Neutral Tamizhan (@vikimanish) November 17, 2017

Murali Vijay must be laughing in the dressing room now. How can you drop one of India's best solid test players in a pitch like this. At any pitch he should play. #INDvSL #INDvsSL

— Cricket Club India (@cricket_club17) November 17, 2017

I won't mind if Murali Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane open the innings in SA, after watching the callousness of Rahul and Dhawan in Eden.

— Prabuddha Ghosh (@AcjGhosh) November 16, 2017

@vikrantgupta73 murali vijay has better technique as opener…should have played?

— Samir Imam (@ErSamir) November 16, 2017

What was the need to drop Murali Vijay? Why does Rahul or Dhawan need to play all three formats? Use VJ like Pujara, test specialists#IndvsSL

— Macha Dembele (@Anushaath) November 16, 2017