The BCCI selectors took the big call of dropping senior batsman Cheteshwar Pujara from the Test side for the 2-Test series in West Indies, where India will kick-start the WTC 2023/25 cycle.
Cheteshwar Pujara, who managed scores of 14 and 27 in the WTC 2023 Final vs Australia, hasn’t been in great touch in recent times in Test cricket: since the start of 2021, Cheteshwar Pujara averages a mediocre 31 with only one century, against Bangladesh.
Although Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, too, had similar numbers to Pujara, they did well in the WTC Final, and the sword has fallen on the number 3. Now, the former number 3 as India will look to fill that position with someone else for the upcoming tour of the West Indies.
Here are 3 options India could try for the number 3 position replacing Cheteshwar Pujara:
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Yashasvi Jaiswal‘s name is likely to be discussed first to replace Pujara at number 3, and according to reports, the young left-hander will be slotted in at number 3 in West Indies.
Apart from his recent IPL heroics, Jaiswal has a scintillating first-class record as well: in 15 FC matches, Jaiswal averages 80 at a strike rate of 67 with 9 centuries and 2 fifties to his name. Jaiswal has also spent a significant amount of time batting at number 3 for Mumbai’s domestic team in red-ball cricket, and, as it’s clear, his aggressive style is in contrast to the batting style of Cheteshwar Pujara. Jaiswal could start a new era at number 3 for India.
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Like Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad has also gotten his maiden Test squad call-up. However, Gaikwad’s numbers aren’t that great, even as compared to Jaiswal, or Sarfaraz or Suryakumar Yadav, who haven’t been selected. Gaikwad averages 42 in 28 first-class matches.
But, Gaikwad seems to have been selected on potential and his class, his aesthetically pleasing and steadiness have impressed the selectors, and he hasn’t shown any bare weaknesses against pace or spin as perhaps Sarfaraz or SKY have.
Hanuma Vihari
Hanuma Vihari has reasons to feel let down by the selectors and the team management for he was cast aside harshly. Last year, after Pujara was dropped, Vihari played at number 3 in the Sri Lanka series, and scored 58, 31, and 35. He then was left out of India’s XI for the Edgbaston Test.
And then suffered an injury, which saw him out of action for a few months. After getting fit, despite having played at number 3 before and being pushed into the Pujara role, Vihari wasn’t called up again.
Vihari has played 16 Test matches in his stop-start career, and 13 of those came away from home, where he’s done impressively well. Vihari hasn’t had the fortune of playing many Tests at home, and has been battling away conditions. Yet, the selectors didn’t put faith in him and didn’t give him a long rope.
