Ranji Trophy 2022: Day after being dropped from India Test squad, Cheteshwar Pujara scores 91

India batter Cheteshwar Pujara on Sunday scored 91 off 83 balls in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Mumbai on Day four of the game. The Saurashtra batter had scored a duck on Saturday in the first innings as the side got folded for 220. 

Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane were on Saturday also dropped from were dropped from the Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. However, Pujara returned to form as he scored 91 off 83 balls on Sunday. His innings was studded with 16 fours and one six.

Rahane too had returned to form earlier this week as he scored a ton against Saurashtra before Mumbai posted 544/7 in the first innings.

Meanwhile, Chetan Sharma, Chairman of, All India Senior-Selection Committee on Saturday said that batters Rahane and Pujara were informed in advance about them being dropped for two Test matches against Sri Lanka.

"The selection committee deliberated a lot on Rahane and Pujara. We told them we will not consider them against Sri Lanka but doors are open for them. We have told them to go and play Ranji Trophy," said Chetan Sharma during a virtual press conference.

"They have served the country for so long. They can come back, why not? It's like a graph...Rahane hit a hundred yesterday against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy. This is a process of managing...Who wouldn't be happy if they come back?" he added.

Coming back to Ranji Trophy, the tournament is being held in two phases and now it has been confirmed that the pre-Indian Premier League (IPL) phase would run from February 10 to March 15.

The post-IPL-phase would run from May 30 to June 26. The Ranji Trophy this season would see 64 matches being played across 62 days.