Indian cricket team vs Australia

While choosing players for ongoing Test series against Australia, national selectors and team management apparently forgot the heroic contribution of Parthiv Patel who, while playing in fifth Test at Chennai against England in place of injured Saha, not only kept wickets for 157 overs but followed that up by volunteering to open batting instead of injured Murali Vijay and contributed 71 to an opening partnership of 152 with K L Rahul. In four innings Parthiv Patel batted against England (he was unbeaten in one innings), he aggregated 195 runs for an average of 65.We know This year, it has been the Parthiv Patel’s gutsy performances which took Gujarat to its first ever win of Ranji Trophy.
However, when 16 member squad for the Test series against Australia was chosen, Parthiv Patel was now where in picture and selectors and team management brought in Abhinav Mukund who last played a Test on 2011 tour of England and was dropped after not doing anything of note. In first Test against Australia at Pune, Mukund came in as a substitute fielder and dropped Steve Smith twice (the second chance being a sitter at forward short leg), thereby enabling the Aussie captain to score a century and win match. In second Test at Pune, Mukund came in for injured Murali Vijay and flopped as an opening batsman in both innings of a match which India won because of consistent batting performances of K L Rahul and the 118 run partnership between Pujara and Rahane in second innings, with Jadeja and Ashwin together taking 15 wickets in match.
Gutsy players who can raise their game when the Team India is confronted with a crisis should get preference to those who do not quite have that spark and are included in team to make up the numbers in hope that the established players will not get injured.
During ODI series against England, the middle order batsman Kedar Jadhav came up with consistent match winning performances at many times when Team India had lost early wickets.I think Jadhav is also a good fielder and someone who can take wickets with his off spin bowled with unconventional action, as he has prove time and again in ODIs. What India is sorely missing in the ongoing third Test at Ranchi is an effective part time off spinner who can provide relief to Ashwin who has bowled more than 700 overs in Tests played this season

However, while choosing players for current series against Australia, selectors and management have overlooked gutsy cricketers like Patel and Jadhav. I think Team India could have learnt from England which played both their wicket keeper batsmen Bairstow and Buttler in Test series. The fact is that Wade is keeping wickets for Australia ongoing series has not deterred their selectors the team management from also including while playing eleven Handscomb who not just bats at number five but also who is wicket keeper, something which enabled him to grab half chances while fielding at forward short leg in first Test at Pune. The difference in fielding between Handscomb and Mukund was there for all to see.

If Kohli shoulder injury, sustained while diving near boundary on first day of third Test at Ranchi, keeps Indian captain out of fourth and final Test at Dharamsala, gutsy cricketers like Patel and Jadhav should get preference over likes of Abhinav Mukund.