Rajasthan look to break away from back-to-back draws against Uttarakhand as selection decisions come under scrutiny

Having secured back-to-back first-innings leads to accumulate six points from their opening two fixtures, Rajasthan face a pressing need to shift gears as they next take on Uttarakhand in their Ranji Trophy Group ‘D’ encounter in Dehradun starting Monday. Placed fourth on the points table, the Kartik Sharma-led side finds itself chasing the front-runners, Mumbai, Haryana, and Tamil Nadu, all of whom have capitalised on at least one outright victory to surge ahead.With draws against Tamil Nadu and Railways yielding only three points apiece, securing dominant, bonus-point wins has become paramount if the side wishes to bridge the gap. The squad received a timely boost ahead of the away match with the inclusion of seasoned seamer Aniket Choudhary. Sidelined for the first two matches due to a knee injury, Choudhary’s return injects vital experience into a talented yet youthful bowling attack. That added maturity will be crucial, particularly after injury to pacer Akash Singh.However, the build-up to the Dehradun fixture has been shadowed by mounting scrutiny off the field over the selection committee’s recent decisions. Questions have been raised regarding a series of perplexing moves, starting from the transitional phase after Manav Suthar's departure to India ‘A’ duties.While experienced campaigner Mahipal Lomror had stepped up as vice-captain, the selectors subsequently handed the reins to 20-year-old Kartik while retaining Lomror as deputy. The decision raised eyebrows given Lomror's proven track record as a leader.The turbulence deepened following the conclusion of the match against Railways, when Kunal Singh Rathore, returning from a ban imposed due to a dispute with fellow wicketkeeper-batter Rajkumar Saini, was straightaway instated as the new vice-captain, completely displacing Lomror from the leadership role.Compounding the unrest is the handling of another wicketkeeper-batter, Mukul Choudhary, whose journey through the tournament has been marked by a series of bizarre selection calls. A highly rated prospect who had recently impressed as a high-impact finisher in the IPL for the Lucknow Super Giants, Mukul's state campaign began on a turbulent note.After twisting his ankle just before the opening match, he was replaced in the playing XI by Sumit Godara. Yet, despite recovering and being fully fit for the second match, Mukul was completely left out of the team.The erratic shuffling peaked when the squad for the third match was initially announced with his name on the list, only for a revised squad to be released the very next day. Mukul was abruptly dropped and relegated to the Under-23 setup, with selectors bringing in Vishal Harsh to take his place.This constant back-and-forth shuffling has left the dressing room unsettled just as a crucial fixture beckons.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.