"He is not there despite Gautam Gambhir.." - Basit Ali on Veteran Indian Batter's snub from Duleep Trophy 2024 squads

Former Pakistan cricketer Basit Ali has shared his thoughts on the squads for India’s domestic red-ball tournament, the Duleep Trophy 2024.

Basit Ali said that he was surprised by the exclusion of Indian batters Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, and Rinku Singh from the upcoming event.

On August 14, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced four squads for the Duleep Trophy 2024.

Players like KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, and Rishabh Pant will play in the first round. Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Kuldeep Yadav also feature in the event.

Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Sanju Samson, and Rinku Singh did not make it into any of the squads. The selection committee seems to be moving away from Rahane and Pujara.

According to the latest reports, Rinku Singh is expected to join the squad for the second match of the Duleep Trophy 2024.

Cheteshwar Pujara Could Have Been Of Good Use In Australia - Basit Ali

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Basit Ali questioned the absence of Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sanju Samson, and Rinku Singh from the first round of the Duleep Trophy squads.

Ali said that Pujara could have been valuable for the upcoming Australia tour, given his past success.

"I saw the teams and I am surprised that 3-4 names are not there. Ajinkya Rahane is not there. Cheteshwar Pujara is not there. Sanju Samson is not there. Rinku Singh is not there. Shivam Dube has been picked. I think he is being readied as an all-rounder. Let’s see who performs in the Duleep Trophy," Basit Ali said.

"Pujara could have been of good use in Australia. I am surprised that he is not there despite Gautam Gambhir being there [as India coach]. Even Rinku Singh in not there. Again, considering the Gambhir factor, this is rather surprising," he added.

Shubman Gill will lead Team A and Abhimanyu Easwaran has been given charge of Team B. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Shreyas Iyer will captain Team C and Team D, respectively.

The first round of the Duleep Trophy will provide players with the opportunity to secure a spot in the squad for the series against Bangladesh.

Cheteshwar Pujara Last Played For India In June 2023

Cheteshwar Pujara was a key player in India's Test batting lineup in the past. However, the veteran batter is unlikely to return to the national team.

The 36-year-old last played for India in the World Test Championship final against Australia in June 2023. He scored 14 runs and 27 runs in the summit clash.

Pujara has played 103 Test matches for India in his international career. The right-handed batter has scored 7,195 runs at an average of 43.60, including 19 centuries and 35 fifties.

However, his form has dipped since early 2020. Pujara has scored with an average of 29.69 in 28 Tests and only one century.

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