About time we start rewarding players doing well in first-class cricket, says Sanjay Manjrekar

Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar feels it is high time that the national selectors start rewarding players who are doing well in first-class cricket. It has been noticed that the IPL performances are getting more weightage for national selection than the domestic circuit tournaments.

Earlier Sarfaraz Khan could not break into the Test team despite performing consistently in the Ranji Trophy. Khan was in sublime form in the 2020-21 season, scoring 982 runs for Mumbai. The right-hander had also scored 928 runs in the 2019-20 season but despite performing so consistently he hasn’t been able to catch the selectors’ eyes.

Meanwhile, it is not easy to adjust from IPL to Test cricket and India recently lost the World Test Championship final against Australia after players took part in the lucrative tournament.

Manjrekar noted that Travis Head (163) and Steve Smith (121) were the game-changers for Australia and both of them don’t play much T20 cricket.

“The game changers for Australia in the WTC final – Steve Smith and Travis Head – don’t play a lot of T20 cricket. So we have to find guys who are not going to be fatigued or don’t have to make the adjustments from IPL to Test cricket.,” said Manjrekar on ESPN Cricinfo.

Manjrekar believes India should bring at least three news batters into the selection frame and also a new set of fast bowlers for the Test matches.

“About time we start rewarding the guys who are doing well in first-class cricket. And not just runs. The selectors could look at players who have it in them to be future Test players and succeed in foreign conditions. I would like to see at least three new batters come into play in the picture and new fast bowlers,” Manjrekar added.

India could not deliver the goods with either bat or the ball in the WTC final against Australia. In fact, some of the selection decisions have been a bit surprising as India decided to leave out Ravichandran Ashwin and played Umesh Yadav ahead of him.

India will play two Test matches, three ODIs, and five T20Is on the upcoming tour of West Indies.