Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane's Time All But Over? Rohit Sharma Says, "Not Considering Them Is..."

25.01.2024 - 02:49 sports.ndtv.com

India skipper Rohit Sharma on Wednesday hinted that the Test career of veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane might not be revived as the focus has shifted to giving more opportunities to younger players.

Once Virat Kohli decided to skip the first two matches against England, the possibility of including either Pujara or Rahane to the India Test squad was discussed widely but if one is aware about the thought process of current selection panel headed by Ajit Agarkar, they are not in a mood to look back.

As it turned out, India opted to bring in Rajat Patidar as Kohli's replacement. Rohit explained the rationale behind the decision to bring in Patidar. "Look, actually, we did think about it (going back to a senior player).

But all these younger players, when are they going to get their opportunity? That's something we thought, I thought as well," Rohit said during his pre-match press conference.

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While speaking at an event in Mumbai on Friday, India captain Rohit Sharma revealed that the movie he recently watched is '12th Fail'. Reacting to it host of the event Mandira Bedi said, "Very inspiring film." For the unversed, 12th Fail is a realistic and restrained adaptation of a book of the same name. The film, directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, centres on a young man, a struggling Hindi medium student, who makes the journey from a lawless Chambal village to the top echelons of the police force, inevitably hitting many a daunting roadblock on the way. While the movie starring Vikrant Massey got a great response from the crowd, Rohit too decided to take out some personal time and watch it.

Rohit Sharma's Three-Word Review For '12th Fail', Vikrant Massey Reacts

"Let's See If He...": R Ashwin Makes Expectation From 'Ignored' Cheteshwar Pujara Clear

After levelling the 5-Test series against England 1-1 in the second match, the Indian cricket team heads to Rajkot for the 3rd encounter of the series. The Saurashtra Cricket Association also has plans to felicitate two superstars of the Indian Test team -- Cheteshwar Pujara and Ravindra Jadeja -- at the venue. While Jadeja is part of the current setup, Pujara was overlooked for a spot in the squad despite his brilliant run in the Ranji Trophy.

"If They Have Thoughts About Getting Dropped...": India Captain Rohit Sharma On His Captaincy

India captain Rohit Sharma on Friday opened up about leading the side and the leadership role he plays for the national team, stating that as a skipper he tries to build confidence and trust in players. During an event in Mumbai on Friday, India captain cherishes the role's numerous facets, including making strategic judgments on the field and managing individual players' personalities off the field. Rohit stated that he try his best to have personal interactions with each player, and as a leader, it is necessary to treat everyone equally and with significance.

Ranji Trophy: Cheteshwar Pujara's 110 Takes Saurashtra To 242/4 Against Rajasthan

Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara slammed his second hundred of the ongoing Ranji Trophy season, guiding Saurashtra to a comfortable 242 for four against Rajasthan on the opening day of their Group A match in Jaipur Friday. The 36-year-old, who has 103 Tests and 262 First-Class matches under his belt, hit nine shots to the fence during his 230-ball 110. It was his 62nd hundred in first class cricket. Pujara had scored a double hundred (243 not out), last month. Opting to bat, Saurashtra found themselves in a spot of bother after they were reduced to 74 for 3 in the 32nd over but Pujara and Sheldon Jackson (78 not out) then formed an alliance, adding 168 runs for the fourth wicket.

"Shubman Gill Has Got Cushion That Even Cheteshwar Pujara Didn't": Anil Kumble Minces No Words

Former India captain Anil Kumble feels that the embattled Shubman Gill has been given the kind of "cushion" that veteran Cheteshwar Pujara never got and the young batter needs to make it count in the second Test against England or risk being under tremendous pressure. The 24-year-old Gill has not scored a half century in his last 11 Test innings. He scored a 128 in India's first innings against visiting Australian in Ahmedabad in March last year, but after that his highest score has been 36.