Arjun
Cricketer Of The Year
One opportunity. Not enough. Compare that to the number of games Dinda, Mithun, Tyagi, and an over-the-hill Sreesanth got. Honestly, instead of wasting space on the likes of this batch of mediocrity, or a struggling Ishant and Zaheer, this is the only option. He may not look Test class, but he's leagues ahead of any pace bowler we've seen playing for India, bar Zaheer and Umesh. At least his fitness and accuracy will make a difference, and will last longer than Ishant, who goes poof after eleven overs.Didn't he get an opportunity for India once, and fail to perform?
Whatever I've seen of him, he doesn't look Test-class. Decent, maybe, but about as decent as Kleinveldt. I don't think he will make a huge difference to the bowling attack really.
And the selectors have this thing where they kinda peg some players are 'not being good enough', even if they dominate at Ranji level. And I guess Pankaj's brief flirtation with the national side where he didn't do really well might have confirmed that suspicion for them.
The selectors have picked a series of teams that lost eight Test matches abroad, and are in danger of losing a Test series at home. Clearly not the smartest people in office.