Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane might find it difficult to return to the team, opines Mohammed Azharuddin

Indian batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were dropped from India's test team for the home series against Sri Lanka which was played earlier this month. The two middle-order batters had a poor run with the bat for quite some time. Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara's inability to perform in the series against South Africa in January turned out to be the final straw for them. The team management and selectors decided to give Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari a chance.

Former Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin talked about Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara's future. He explained why it might be really difficult for the two of them to return to the side. Mohammed Azharuddin in his conversation with Sportstar said, "Rahane and Pujara might find it difficult, the only thing that might tilt the scales in their favour is the experience. But with the advent of Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari, it'll be tough. The bench strength is strong. I feel when young players come in, they need to be consistent".

He added, "This change of guard is a generational thing. It has happened before. The key is to identify the best players and give them more chances to perform. Do not let the mental pressure of 'whether I will get another game if I fail' affect them. Chopping and changing a squad too often is a problem."