India v New Zealand: 5 Indian players who missed out in the Test squad

The selectors for the Indian cricket team have gone ahead and surprised one and all with the team selection. Ever since legendary spinner Anil Kumble took over as the coach of the Indian team, there has been an air of invincibility in and around the team. This air saw the Indians claim a 2-0 series win in the Caribbean.

However, in spite of the win, the controversial wetness of the outfield, and of course rain, there were a few gaping holes in the India squad that toured the West Indies. The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Umesh Yadav, and even Rohit Sharma were on the receiving end of a considerable amount of flak for their performances. Yet, they find themselves in the squad.

Although it can be agreed that Kumble and others don’t want to change a winning combination, it is clear that there are some who certainly believe that a few player should have got the look-in for the squad. That said, here are five players who possibly missed out on the squad selection.

Gautam Gambhir

The 34-year old southpaw impressed with some tremendous batting in the ongoing Duleep Trophy. Having played for India in the past, it was clear that he was certainly one of the names tossed around at the selection table.

Gambhir’s last international Test match for India came in 2014 against England at The Oval, something that consummated his short-lived comeback. However, since then, he has indeed been making waves in the domestic circuit for both Delhi as well as the Kolkata knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.

Also read: Twitter Reactions: Gautam Gambhir’s exclusion triggers Indian fans

In the context of the ongoing Duleep Trophy, Gambhir has been one of the more successful batsmen managing 320 runs at an average of 56. What’s more is the simple fact that Gambhir has scored in the 90s in his last few innings.