In the first Test match between India and Bangladesh in Chennai, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and star batter Virat Kohli delivered lackluster performances, raising questions about the selection process led by Ajit Agarkar, as reported by Hindustan Times.
Critics have accused the selection committee of showing favoritism towards Sharma and Kohli, especially after they were not chosen to participate in the Duleep Trophy tournament, unlike other players who were selected for the Tests.
In the match at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Rohit Sharma managed to score only 6 runs in the first innings and 5 runs in the second innings. Similarly, Virat Kohli failed to make an impact with his batting, scoring only 17 runs in the first Test against Bangladesh.
Despite the underwhelming performances by Sharma and Kohli, India emerged victorious in the first Test against Bangladesh, winning by a significant margin of 280 runs. This success was attributed to stellar performances by players such as Ravichandran Ashwin, who scored a century (113) in the first innings, Jasprit Bumrah's 4-wicket haul, and Ravindra Jadeja's crucial 86 runs.
The momentum continued in the second innings with centuries by Shubman Gill (119*) and Rishabh Pant (109). The highlight of the match was Ashwin's 6-wicket haul and Jadeja's three wickets, which sealed India's dominant performance against Bangladesh.
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar recently criticized the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for showing favoritism towards players based on their reputation and stature. Manjrekar's blunt assessment sheds light on the unequal treatment of players within the organization.
"I'm not worried, but I'm sure somebody made a note of the fact that they would have been better off had they played some red-ball cricket. There was the option of picking them in the Duleep Trophy. So one has to be careful about treating certain players differently and do what's best for Indian cricket and for the player. Virat and Rohit not playing (Duleep Trophy) was not good for Indian cricket, nor was it good for the two players. Had they played the Duleep Trophy and had some time in the red-ball cricket, things would have been different," Manjrekar said on ESPNCricinfo.
While Manjrekar has no doubts about Kohli and Rohit's ability to bounce back, he believes that the special treatment given to certain stars in the Indian team has been a longstanding issue.
"But they have the class and experience to make a comeback later in the series, and I don't see them, for that reason, not being in form. But something that one must make a quiet note of, and that has been a problem with Indian cricket for a long time now, is that certain players get picked out for special treatment because of their status, which eventually hurts that player more than anyone else," he asserted.
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