Cheteshwar Arvind Pujara

India will need someone like KL Rahul or Abhimanyu Easwaran, who can play conventional style of cricket, during the challenging tour Australia and there is space for veteran Cheteshwar Pujara in the Test side, reckons former batter Robin Uthappa.

The 18-man squad chosen for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, to be led by Rohit Sharma, raises as many doubts as answers.

Cheteshwar Pujara was a walking nightmare for Pat Cummins and company on the last two tours of Australia and the seasoned campaigner could be a surprise pick in India's jumbo squad for the upcoming five-Test series Down Under.

"I don't understand the reason why Cheteshwar Pujara was dropped. He should have been in the Indian team right from the first Test," Ghavri told PTI on the eve of the third Test in Rajkot, the home ground of Pujara.

With Pujara being dropped from the Windies tour, it is being speculated in certain sections that the India veteran may have played his last Test.

Young batters Yashasvi Jaiswal and Ruturaj Gaikwad as well as seamer Mukesh Kumar were named for the first time in the 16-member team.

The Ultimate Test begins at The Oval as India takes on Australia in the World Test Championship final. Fans eagerly await the intense contests between Rohit Sharma and Mitchell Starc and Cheteshwar Pujara against Nathan Lyon. The clash between Kohli and spin remains a concern, while Ashwin poses a threat to left-handers. The stage is set for an exhilarating showdown.

India No. 3 Pujara spent the last couple of months representing Sussex in the English County, and he scored heavily.

India's Test batting mainstay Pujara could provide valuable insights to his teammates, having played extensively at Sussex in the English County Championship, while Kohli is at his absolute best having cracked two centuries and six half-tons for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League.

With Pujara's knowledge and captaincy experience (at Sussex), his inputs could prove invaluable, especially against Australian batter Steve Smith, who is also a part of his county side.

Sachin Tendulkar, who retired from international cricket in 2013, was one of the most adored cricketers both in India and globally and nearly a decade after his retirement, remains admired by fans.

With the number of matches going up, cricketers will play more matches than they would have in previous generations. As a result, the aggregate record will not only lie with the most recent generation, legends of the yesteryear will slide down the ladder.

India vs Australia: Set a target of 115 after Australia were bowled out for 113 in their second innings, India completed the chase in 26.4 overs on the third day of the match.

India vs Australia: With this victory, India takes an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-match series in another three-day finish on Sunday.

For 13 years, Cheteshwar Pujara has defied every possible convention to survive and thrive as a Test-only Indian batter in the 21st century.

Pujara is fresh from his performance in Bangladesh, where he was named the Man Of the Series last December. He is expected to continue accumulating runs and seeing India victorious once again.

India to take on Pakistan to begin their campaign in the Asia Cup on Sunday, with the former keen to avenge the 10-wicket loss against the arch-rivals during the ICC T20 World Cup at the same venue last year.

Pujara and Rahane, who were in Grade A are now in Grade B, after a slump in form that saw them being dropped from the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.

Virat Kohli had stepped down as the Test captain following the team's rout in the recently played three-match series in South Africa.

Virat Kohli has made it clear in the past that his job as captain is to win matches, not popularity contests. While constructive criticism is okay, it is unfair to vilify him for speaking his mind.