Team India’s World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 cycle is all set to get underway with the two-match Test series against West Indies next month.

For the series, the BCCI selection committee on Friday (June 23) announced a 16-member squad and there was a notable omission in it. Veteran batter Cheteshwar Pujara was left out of the Test side.

After an extended lean patch, Pujara was dropped from the Indian Test team last year but he reclaimed his place in the side on the back of stunning exploits in the County Championship for Sussex. However, the right-hander failed to make the opportunities count on his comeback.

It remains to be seen if Pujara makes another return to the Test team after facing the ouster this time around.

Reacting to his exclusion, Pujara’s father Arvind said his son is a mentally strong person and won’t feel let down by the setbacks.

“He is mentally very strong,” Arvind told Hindustan Times. “I can’t comment about selection. But from what I have seen, he is batting at his best. Even after the West Indies team was announced, he did not change his practice routine. He was soon batting at the nets.”

Hours after being dropped from the Test team, Pujara hit the nets at his father’s academy in Rajkot. The 103-Test veteran also made himself available to play for the West Zone in the upcoming Duleep Trophy.

Arvind is confident that Cheteshwar Pujara, despite being 35, will be able to make a comeback to red-ball cricket.

“As a father and coach, I have no reason to believe he cannot come back. After the Duleep Trophy, he will also play in the remainder of the county season,” he added.