Gautam Gambhir, Jasprit Bumrah face heat for their selection blunder in fifth Test against Australia

Former player Sanjay Manjrekar slammed the selection for the fifth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He called the inclusion of Washington in the playing XI a blunder on a pitch that was tailor-made for pacers.

India lost the contest by six wickets in Sydney. Resuming their second innings on 141-6 on Day 3, the visitors were dismissed for 157 as Scott Boland picked up six wickets. Chasing 162, Australia lost four wickets. However, they registered a win in 27 overs.

Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Manjrekar opined that India got their planning horribly wrong.

“Washington Sundar scored just one fifty in the series but the management persisted with him. He is a good bowler but a lot depends on the pitch. Washington needs a turning track to pick up wickets. We had Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar and Nitish Kumar Reddy as all-rounders. Sundar’s selection was a blunder,” he said.

The 59-year-old added that the selection was spot on during the previous series in Australia.

“India didn’t have a player who was in the Playing XI because of his second skill in the previous two series in Australia. The focus was on the main skills and he was drafted into the team’s playing unit because of primary speciality. Tte other skill was an additional advantage,” he added.

Sundar did not bowl a single over in Australia’s first innings and delivered one in the second essay. Ravindra bowled three overs in the Sydney Test.

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