Sarfaraz Khan and Abhimanyu Easwaran have traveled across Australia with the Indian team over the past few months. They train regularly with their teammates but did not feature in a single match in the five-match series of the just-concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which India lost 3-1.
Sarfaraz scored one run in the warm-up match against the Australian Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, while Abhimanyu had to warm up the bench throughout the tour.
While the team management did not consider any of them, Sarfaraz and Abhimanyu also ended up missing a chunk of the domestic season and barely got any game time for over two months.
It was almost a similar story for the traveling reserves – Mukesh Kumar, Navdeep Saini, Khaleel Ahmed – who ended up operating in the nets before finally being released in mid-December after the third Test.
Dhruv Jurel replaced the injured Shubman Gill in the series opener. However, the wicketkeeper-batsman has to heat up the bench after that too. While this is not the first time some players have been absent from an entire tour, it does raise questions as to whether they would have been better off if they had played domestic cricket.
Warming up the bench on a long trip can be excruciating, and with competition for starting spots fierce, a lack of game time often adds to the pressure. However, as former India left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha pointed out, it is important for players to continue with their regular training even if they do not make it to the XI.
“Being picked on the wing is not something you can control, but how well you prepare yourself and how you prepare is something you can control. That’s the best way forward and puts you in a good mental space,” Ojha said. “If you’re not in that space, you can never mentally prepare yourself for the opportunity that you might ultimately get,” he added.
Ojha, who has also had to warm up the bench on several occasions, still remembers an incident during India’s tour of New Zealand in 2009, when he and Dinesh Karthik got together after spending some time on the bench. Karthik participated in a match together on behalf of the New Zealand local team.
The idea was mooted by then India head coach Gary Kirsten and both Ojha and Karthik jumped at the chance.
“We didn’t get any game time. So, Gary suggested we go play a few games. Obviously when you’re on tour you never say no to any game time, so we were ready and that’s what happened ,” Oja recalled.
But the former India cricketer also agreed that it can be challenging for a young cricketer to be constantly on the bench, especially when the team is not performing well. Ojha did not get a single match during India’s tour of South Africa in 2013, when the team lost both the Test and ODI series.
“It obviously affects me when I’m not involved in the game and if the team isn’t doing well you feel what’s going on. As a player you expect to play for the team and when that doesn’t happen, You do get frustrated, but back then, our times were different,” he said.
Belonging to a generation that boasted star spinners like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh, it was not easy for young Ojha to make the cut. “So you get a reality check early on. You know the competition is going to be fierce, so the best thing to do is be prepared and ready for the opportunity,” Oja said.
“Now, the situation is different as most of the guys in the team are of similar age and experience level is almost the same, so Washington Sundar might feel that if Kuldeep Yadav comes in, he might get it soon too Chance. But in our time, when Anil (Kumble) bye or budge paa In a team, there is certainty in the team and you have to accept that fact and deal with it,” Oja said.
Even former India fast bowler Pankaj Singh had a similar experience during the 2008 India limited-overs series in Australia. That was Pankaj’s first call-up and the fast bowler from Rajasthan was unavailable throughout the tour but India ended up winning the ODI series.
“Every player wants to be part of the eleven and if that doesn’t happen then it becomes a challenge to stay motivated. You put in a lot of hard work and wait for your chance. But after missing a few games, reality hits you,” Pankaj said.
It took a few more years for Pankaj to finally make his ODI debut, and he made his Test debut six years later, in 2014, when India toured England. A staunch supporter of domestic cricket, Pankaj also remembers his time in Australia and how he hung out with RP Singh, Irfan Pathan, who encouraged him.
“Sometimes you feel lost, so it’s important to take it in stride and interact with your teammates as much as possible. That way, they get to know you and you listen to their input,” Pankaj said. “It’s always challenging for new players to integrate into the team because it takes time to win the trust of the captain and the team management, so for me it’s about gaining confidence and trying to understand the team’s set-up during training… …”
But Ojha and Pankaj agreed that unlike in the past, the focus now is on keeping the reserves in shape.
“But things have changed drastically after the Indian Premier League and now all countries ensure that even visiting reserve teams get adequate training time. Rest depends on the individual,” Ojha said.
While former India wicketkeeper-batsman and former national selector Saba Karim agrees that things have improved now in terms of management, he feels Abhimanyu and Sarfaraz have been The benching was “unfair” despite having proven their mettle at first-class level on the Australian tour.
Apart from the 150 in Bengaluru, Sarfaraz struggled in the home series against New Zealand, while Abhimanyu scored 7, 12, 0, 7 results. However, Karim said it was time to give them a chance to run consistently before putting any labels on them.
“It’s very frustrating because a person is prepared to face countless challenges, but it’s out of their control. That’s how I see it,” Karim said.
“I strongly believe that domestic cricketers need to be rewarded. Here we are not just talking about domestic cricketers but also players who have performed well for India A in the past, which means they have been tested many times and that’s why you Think of them as part of the Indian cricket team,” Karim said.
“Logically, it makes sense to give them a chance whenever you get one. I find it strange that these two cricketers who are part of the franchise were not even considered for selection. If that is the case, then why did you choose them in the first place Woolen cloth?”
Karim has been through a similar phase in his career and understands the challenges young players face during such times.
“If you’re not sure whether their technical expertise will perform well in Australia, then you should choose someone else. I feel strongly that without trying them in these conditions, how can we be sure that they are not good enough for these conditions? ?” Karim asked.
“It was harsh on Abhimanyu and Sarfaraz. Sarfaraz played two Test matches before hitting his hundred in Bengaluru and apart from Rishabh Pant, the ball The rest of the team struggled. He played two Test matches afterwards, both of which were rank-turners. Forget about Sarfaraz, no other Indian batsman scored. So, keep that in mind. , I don’t understand this decision…”
Sitting on the bench for the entire series might feel like being alone on a planet, but Pankaj’s advice not to give up hope can keep players in good shape, he said, when will i have a chance…”
