'I see them as well rested India players. Could have been selected for the Duleep Trophy.'
Sanjay Manjrekar slammed BCCI's decision to rest Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah from the Duleep Trophy.
Most of India's Test regulars along with those in contention for a place in the squad for the two Test series against Bangladesh next month were included for the first round of the Duleep Trophy, except for Rohit, Kohli, Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin, who were given a break considering India's packed calendar in the next few months, including 10 Tests over the next five months.
India will play two Tests against Bangladesh in September followed by a three Test series at home against New Zealand before they travel to Australia for a five Test series from November to January.
Rohit and Kohli last played in the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo on August 7, 2024, while injury-prone Bumrah has been given a break since India's victory in the T20 World Cup final in Barbados on June 29, 2024.
Manjrekar believes the trio have been given enough breaks in the last five years despite India's busy international schedule.
India has played 249 international matches in the last 5 years. Rohit has played only 59% of those. Virat 61% & Bumrah 34%. I see them as well rested India players. Could have been selected for the Duleep Trophy,' Manjrekar tweeted.
Among other Team India absentees, fast bowler Mohammed Siraj was on Tuesday ruled out of the Duleep Trophy because of illness, while all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has also been released from the Team B squad.
The four-day Duleep Trophy opening match will begin from September 5 with the Shubman Gill-led Team A clashing against Team B, captained by Abhimanyu Easwaran in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh.
In another match played on the same day, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Team C will play against Team D, captained by Shreyas Iyer, at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru.
Some of the India regulars including K L Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan among others will be hoping for good performances in the Duleep Trophy and put themselves in the reckoning for the Test series against Bangladesh next month.
