IPL franchise RCB hits out at Mithun omission from Test team

In a post titled "Taking the sting out of Mithun?", on the official RCB website, its author has hit out at the selectors and hinted that "quota" system could be one of the reasons for the bowler's omission from the Kolkata match beginning tomorrow.

"By now, every Indian is aware of the team for the second Test against South Africa to be played at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Along expected lines, the selectors strengthened the feeble middle order by including Dinesh Karthik and Suresh Raina – two experienced and prolific scorers in the domestic circuits.

"But what was bemusing was to see Abhimanyu Mithun dropped, without testing him out in the middle. He was replaced by the now-injured–now fit Sreesanth," the unnamed author of the news item wrote.
"What do you think could be the reasons of dropping Mithun? I can think of a few", the post said, adding "already six players in the squad are from the south, matched in equal numbers from the north".

The post has also questioned the selectors' thought process, saying it could be because "Sreesanth is a better bet than Mithun because of his experience in the international circuit."
But the author wondered why Ishant Sharma, who has been struggling, retained his spot and instead of axing the tall Delhi paceman and trying out Mithun in his place, the five wise men showed the door to the Bangalore youngster.
"The wicket at Eden Gardens will predictably be a slow one, which is the reason why the selectors picked three spinners and three seamers. Baffling was to see Ishant Sharma keeping his place despite being in awful form.
"Mithun could have been tried in his place, but somehow I feel that north-south quota fillings had a strong say in Ishant retaining his place."

"The selectors' rationale that Mithun is a prime prospect and will get enough chances in the near future doesn't provide a rainbow of hope to the lad from Bangalore who is currently in his prime form and should have been tested," the post said.