Sudip Kumar Gharami and Akash Deep’s omission from Rest of India’s playing eleven for the Irani Cup game is “disappointing” and will certainly dent their confidence going forward, feels Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla.
In-form batter Gharami, who scored over 800 runs, and pacer Akash, who bagged over 40 wickets played a massive part in Bengal’s second final appearance in three years.
However, Yashasvi Jaiswal (No.3) and Navdeep Saini (fast bowler) are in national radar as India A players and hence were preferred over the two Bengal cricketers.
“This is disappointing to say the least and shoulders will droop for these talented players. The selectors should give it a thought and as for the players they always give their best,” Shukla said.
Only Abhimanyu Easwaran and Mukesh Kumar were named in the playing XI by the selection panel in consultation with ROI coach Sitanshu Kotak.
The young Gharami was in sublime form in the Ranji season, finishing in the sixth position in the Ranji top-run-getters list with a mammoth 803 runs in just 10 matches.
The 23-year-old, who smashed three superb centuries and five half-centuries in 18 innings with an average of over 50, had to sit out.
The other middle-order batter Yash Dhull scored just 270 runs in six matches for Delhi, while Tamil Nadu’s Baba Indrajith who has scored 505 runs in seven games.
Now Dhull had a bad season but he is among the Gen-Next batting stars, zeroed in by NCA and selectors and would be given a long rope to succeed. For Indrajith, the domestic bullwark from Tamil Nadu, the opportunity came purely because Sarfaraz Khan has a fractured finger.
On the other hand, Akash was ruthless with the ball in the entire season as he finished seventh in the most wicket-takers’ list.
The 26-year-old claimed 41 wickets in 10 matches with three five-wicket haul and one 10-wicket haul.
Surprisingly Delhi pacer Saini, who didn’t play a single Ranji game in the season, was included in the XI.
Now Saini, is still in and around that Indian red ball team and is expected to travel to England as a net bowler and will remain in radar for his pace.
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