IND Vs AUS 2023: India in Tests have been a behemoth in the last half a decade. While their dominance at home has never been under question at any point, they have added a layer of further nous in their caps by going and being a force to reckon overseas as well, which was evident in their back to back series wins vs Australia in Australia. They almost got the better of England in England as well.
While it has been plain sailing so far, the side under the leadership of Rohit Sharma has shown signs of fallibility. They are not the infallible force they used to be. And with the recent hammering they received at Indore, the vultures have come out for the Men in Blue at full pelt.
Add to the fact that the majority of the side is now on the wrong side of 30, the discussion to phase some of the long-serving stalwarts of the side will have to be put forward at some point in the near future.
IND Vs AUS 2023: With that being said, here are three names that we believe should be phased out in the first stage after the current Test series (or the WTC final, if India does make it)-
1. Umesh Yadav
The 35-year-old pacer has been a part of the Indian Test side since 2011, but has never been able to establish himself as a regular member of the side, thus explaining why he has played only 56 tests in the last 12 years. With that being said, the Vidharba pacer has been absolutely brilliant in Asian conditions, joining only a select few pacers in taking 100 wickets on home soil.
While he has given his all on the field whenever called upon, at 35 you are just not certain when your body will give way. Add to that the steady crop of young and hungry Indian pacers waiting in the wings, it is the correct time to let Umesh go from the fold.
2. Cheteshwar Pujara
The Saurashtra batter has been an ever-present and at times unbreakable line of defence for the Indian batting order in many an innings. His stoic style of batting and his unwavering concentration have been a thorn in the side of some of the best bowling attacks, exemplified by his incredible effort at the Gabba, where he took literal body blows and still stood tall.
However, that seemingly impregnable armour has now started showing various chinks in it, which are being ruthlessly exploited by the opposition. The fact that he has only a solitary test hundred in the last three and a half years only goes on to validate the above claim. With his landmark of playing 100 tests achieved, it is the right time to part ways with Pujara, with his head held high.
3. Rohit Sharma
This is a surprise inclusion given that he is the all-format captain of the side, but Rohit’s captaincy methods are not exactly conducive to the longest format of the game. His runs have also been fairly inconsistent, and his fitness is not exactly the best among the lot, with the amount of games he has missed due to injury.
Being all format captain is a very tough ask. With the 50 over World Cup coming soon, closely followed by the T20 World Cup, it would be best if Rohit takes a breather from the longest format of the game.
