"Generational shift is on" - Fans split as Cheteshwar Pujara is dropped from India’s Test squad for West Indies tour

Cheteshwar Pujara has been dropped from the Team India squad for the two-Test series in West Indies, which starts on July 12.

The development came after the right-handed batter failed to deliver for Rohit Sharma and Co. in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final as they lost to Australia by 209 runs earlier this month. The 35-year-old returned with scores of 14 and 27 in his two innings.

It was the second failure for Pujara in the WTC final. He scored eight and 15 against New Zealand in the inaugural WTC 2021 final, where India lost by eight wickets.

Pujara’s multiple failures were a surprise as he came into the WTC final on the back of three tons for Sussex in the County Championship division two.

The Saurashtra batter had failed to deliver during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home earlier this year. He scored 140 runs in six innings, including a solitary half-century.

Fans on Twitter came up with mixed reactions to Cheteshwar Pujara’s absence from India’s squad for the West Indies tour. One tweeted:

"Pujara dropped. Generational shift is on."

Pujara dropped . Generational shift is on twitter.com/neerubhatia3/s…

Here are some of the other best Twitter reactions:

These fucking clowns have no idea on whom to keep and whom to drop. Worst ever selection committee, most corrupt board and a joker captain who plays test match specialist Ashwin in entire T20 World Cup but drops him from the WTC Final.
Dropping Pujara is the lowest of lows! twitter.com/mufaddal_vohra…

Thank You, Pujara 💙 https://t.co/pp2Uqzkjo9

The last time Pujara was dropped, it was just a drop.

This one may be the first step of phasing out the seniors.

So, we saw the last of Cheteshwar Pujara at the Oval, is it?

@BCCI So good bye Pujara?

@BCCI How on the earth can be Rahane VC on basis of one knock ???? This is stupidity at its best. Che Pujara comes back plays one knock, gets appointed as VC and gets dropped again!!! Absolute JOKE !!

Pujara got dropped bcoz he failed in WTC even after not playing in the IPL. 😹 twitter.com/BCCI/status/16…

No pujara in the test squad😳🥲
Not a good decision
#bcci

@HarshSr31197240 @electric_rahul @Saurabh76758853 Pujara ka https://t.co/wYw3zruRTv

@BCCI bring back Pujara, remove lord rohit

Ajinkya Rahane appointed vice-captain as Cheteshwar Pujara dropped for the WI tour

In Cheteshwar Pujara’s absence, Ajinkya Rahane has been appointed as Team India's new vice-captain for the two-Test series against West Indies. This came as Rahane scored 89 and 46 in the two innings of the WTC final. He was the standout batter for Team India in both innings.

Unlike Pujara, Rohit Sharma (15 & 43), Shubman Gill (13 & 18) and Virat Kohli (14 & 49) have retained their spots in the Test squad despite failures in the WTC 2023 final.

Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad have been added to India’s Test squad.

India’s Test squad: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.

India will play their first Test against West Indies at Windsor Park in Dominica, starting at 7.30 pm IST on July 12.