Former captain Sunil Gavaskar on Saturday, 13 January, questioned the Indian team’s selection for the second Test against South Africa, saying opener Shikhar Dhawan's "head is always on the chopping board".
India made three changes to their playing XI, with KL Rahul replacing Shikhar Dhawan and Ishant Sharma coming in for Bhuvneshwar Kumar, whose three-wicket burst in the first morning of the opening Test rocked the hosts.
Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha was ruled out due to a strain and Parthiv Patel was included is his place.
I think Shikhar Dhawan is the ‘Bali ka Bakra’ (scapegoat). His head is always on the chopping board. He just needs one bad innings and he is out of the team.Sunil Gavaskar
"I also don't understand why Ishant came in for Bhuvneshwar when he had taken three wickets on the opening day at Cape Town. Ishant could have replaced Shami or Bumrah but leaving him (Bhuvneshwar) out, I don't understand."
Several former cricketers and cricket experts like Harsha Bhogle and Ayaz Memon too had questioned the Indian team’s selection.
India were thrashed by 72 runs in the first Test against South Africa at Cape Town. Virat Kohli's men had folded for 135 in their second innings while chasing 208 to win the Test.
India's tour to South Africa, that started on 5 January, includes three Tests, six One Day Internationals and three T20 Internationals.
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