Indian selectors face the wrath for excluding Murali Vijay from the Test squad

Indian selection panel led by MSK Prasad axed Murali Vijay and Kuldeep Yadav for the last two Tests against England in the ongoing series. Team India lost the first two games and made a stunning comeback in the third Test. Vijay got a chance in the XI in first two Tests and failed to create the impact which further resulted in his axing from the XI in the third Test. Selectors considered Prithvi Shaw as the opener for the last two openers in the finalised squad.

0, 0, 6, 20 – The Indian opener’s scores in the ongoing Test series against England tell the real story behind his axing. He failed to read the swing and seam of English pacers and conceded his wickets all the four times for cheap scores. However, he was picked as the main opener but the other two openers in Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul did comparatively well.

The expectations on Murali Vijay were high when he came into the England tour on the back of a brilliant ton against Afghanistan back in June at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. However, his scores in away tours in this calendar year are not promising as he just scored one fourty-plus score in the 10 innings he played in South Africa and England.

His replacement Prithvi Shaw had decent outings in first-class cricket as he averages 56.72 in the format with seven centuries and five half-centuries. His recent scores of 188 against Windies A, 62 against England Lions and 136 against South Africa A gave him a spot in the national Test team. With India’s current opening pair looking solid, Shaw isn’t expected to make his debut at the Rose Bowl in Southampton in the fourth Test.

Prithvi Shaw’s inclusion will surely bring pressure on the current opening duo. The failed opener in the fourth Test may pave his way to the in-form youngster. With Murali Vijay’s exclusion from the team, some of the Indian fans weren’t impressed as they lashed out at the Indian selectors.

Here’s how they reacted: