Manoj Prabhakar slams Indian team selection for South Africa Tests
Kolkata: Former allrounder Manoj Prabhakar on Saturday slammed India’s team selection in the ongoing Test series, saying it is a shame to pick players for a Test match based on their form in limited over cricket.
India excluded Ajinkya Rahane in the first two Tests, while dropped Bhuvneshwar Kumar in favour of Ishant Sharma in the second Test, despite his three-wicket burst on the opening day at Cape Town.
Bhuvneshwar had ripped apart the South African top-order to reduce the home side to 12/3 after they opted to bat in the opening Test in Cape Town but Indian batting meekly surrendered chasing 208.
But a bold Virat Kohli picked Ishant in place of Bhuvneshwar, while ignoring Rahane in both the Tests in favour of Rohit Sharma, who had been in rampaging form in limited over cricket. “This is a shame. If you start picking Test side on T20I or ODIs form, then you’re gone,” Prabhakar said.