Discussions around Cheteshwar Pujara are slowly gathering pace in the wake of India's humiliating Test series loss at home against New Zealand. For the first time in 12 years, India suffered conceded a Test series on home soil, marking an end to their 18-series winning streak, which significantly dented their chances of making the World Test Championship final next year. With the qualification scenario depending entirely on the upcoming five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, where India need to at least win three matches, fans want the selectors to recall Pujara. However, a discussion around the similar left former selectors at loggerheads.

Former chief selector of the Indian men's team, MSK Prasad, in conversation with PTI, reckoned that India missed the trick by not including Pujara for the Australia Test series given his impressive record in the last two series Down Under. The former cricketer consolidated his point by reminding that the India batter scored a double century in the ongoing 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.

'But his 234 came against Chhattisgarh'

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.

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