Sai Sudharsan, who debuted against England at Headingley last week, was dropped for the Edgbaston Test this week. Here are five Indians who suffered the same fate before him.
Jaydev Unadkat
At Centurion in December 2010, a 19-year-old Unadkat was picked for the first Test against South Africa. He had just four Ranji Trophy matches to his name, and managed to play for India A before his state side, Saurashtra.
It was baptism by fire, especially after he was drafted into the squad at the expense of the more experienced and perhaps more promising Abhimanyu Mithun from Karnataka. Zaheer Khan's absence perhaps prompted the team management to ask for a like-for-like replacement. As it happened, Unadkat – and India – melted. South Africa racked up 620-4 after they'd bowled India out for 136. Unadkat returned 0-101 in 26 overs as the hosts eventually completed an innings victory.
Zaheer returned to the team for the next Test, and Unadkat did not play for India again until December 2022 – a full 12 years and 119 Tests later. He has just four to his name in all, and adding to them looks highly unlikely.
Wriddhiman Saha
Well, strictly speaking, Saha wasn't quite "dropped".
At Nagpur in February 2010, India picked only six batters in their squad. A wrist injury to VVS Laxman meant he was doubtful for the first Test, so Rohit Sharma was called up as cover. But on the morning of day one against South Africa, Rohit twisted his ankle in the warm-up and Saha was called up by virtue of being in Nagpur at the time.
Playing as a specialist batter as MS Dhoni had the gloves, Saha was out for a duck first time around, before scoring a respectable 36 even as India lost by an innings. He had to wait nearly two years for his next Test appearance, and another two passed before he really cemented his spot as India's Test wicketkeeper following Dhoni's retirement.
Piyush Chawla
Chawla debuted at the age of 17 when, in 2006, in favour of his leg spin, India opted to leave out a batter in Mohammad Kaif. The match was dominated by Anil Kumble, who took nine wickets, and another debutant in Munaf Patel who picked up seven. Chawla himself returned a modest 0-45 and 1-8, the wicket of opposition captain Andrew Flintoff.
He had to be left out for the next Test as Harbhajan Singh returned. Chawla next played in 2008 against South Africa, taking two wickets, before his third and final Test came in 2012 against England – he took four wickets.
If given the chance, might he have taken eight and 16 in his next two Tests? We will never know...
Mohinder Amarnath
Yes, that Mohinder Amarnath. Player of the Match in the 1983 World Cup final, a whopping six years passed between his first and second Tests. 'Jimmy' opened the bowling in both innings in Chennai against Australia in 1969, taking 0-21 and 2-31, the latter from 24 overs. Batting at No.8, he scored 16 and 0.
It wasn't until January 1976 that he returned to the Test XI, for a tour of New Zealand. His role with the ball on his comeback was limited, sending down just six overs in Auckland. He made 64 in the first innings, even as elder brother Surinder, on debut, stole the show with 124.
Nevertheless, that was enough to keep Mohinder in the side, and he eventually went on to play 69 Tests for India.
Vasant Ranjane
A seam bowler who ended up playing primarily on flat wickets, or at best, spin-friendly ones in the 1950s and 1960s, Ranjane had arrived in domestic cricket in sensational style, becoming the first Indian to complete a hat-trick on first-class debut en route to taking 9-35 and 4-36. These are still the best innings and match figures by an Indian first-class debutant.
Ranjane bowled the first ball of the Test on his debut against West Indies in Kanpur in 1958, and took 1-35 in the first innings. It was no fault of his, but in dismissing Lance Gibbs he denied Subhash Gupte (9-102) a perfect ten. Worse, Gibbs had been dropped off Gupte earlier in the innings. Ranjane was not called upon at all in the second innings as Gupte opened bowling with GS Ramchand, and Ghulam Ahmed, Chandu Borde, Polly Umrigar and Manohar Hardikar all operated.
He did not play again until three years and 19 Tests later. Ranjane played only seven Tests in all. His only one outside of India was also the one with his best match haul – 6-153 against West Indies at Kingston in 1962 where Conrad Hunte, Rohan Kanhai (twice), Garry Sobers and Frank Worrell were among his victims.
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