Pujara's exclusion gains momentum following India's defeat against NZ with former selectors criticizing Agarkar's decision: 'Choosing Nitish Reddy over him seems questionable'

In a recent interview with PTI, former chief selector of the Indian men's team, MSK Prasad, expressed his belief that India made a mistake by not including Cheteshwar Pujara in the Australia Test series. Prasad highlighted Pujara's impressive record in the last two series Down Under and pointed out that the batsman recently scored a double century in a Ranji Trophy match last week.

“Pujara just scored a double hundred in the Ranji Trophy. He brings that experience and solidity which the Indian team requires in Australia. I feel, if they had to pick Nitish Reddy, you could have waited for at least one India A match and taken it from thereon,” Prasad said.

In 11 appearances in a Test match in Australia, Pujara has scored 993 runs, the fifth-highest among Indians, at 47.28 with three centuries and five fifties. He was, in fact, the Player of the Match in India's historic 2018/19 series win, where he amassed 521 runs in seven innings at 74.42.

Vijay Dahiya and Devang Gandhi had a divergent view on this issue and reckoned that India should not go back to Pujara having clearly indicated over the last 12 months that they have moved on from the senior batter.

“Look Pujara has been phenomenal for India but with due respect, the double hundred came against Chhattisgarh, which doesn't boast of best domestic attack. It was a match where 1000 runs were scored and both teams got a point,” Dahiya said.

Gandhi also felt that if the current selection committee has decided to move on from Pujara, then it is not prudent to look back.

Pujara last played for India in the WTC final in June 2023 against Australia.