3 Instances when a Team India player got dropped after winning Player of the Match

Team India are currently busy playing the two-match Test series in Bangladesh. After the 20-20 World Cup 2022, India went to New Zealand to play an ODI and T20I series. Then, they came to Bangladesh to play an ODI and this Test series. Speaking about the Men in Blue, several players have always represented the country and come up with some big performances either with the ball or the bat.

Such performances also surprised fans. But, team India shocked everyone several times when they dropped those players in the next game only despite those players managing to win the player of the match awards.   

Here are three instances where a player from team India got dropped despite winning the player of the match award in the last match:

Kuldeep Yadav, 2022

Kuldeep Yadav (Image Source: Twitter)

This spinner made a remarkable comeback to the team India after a long gap of nearly 22 months. It was the first Test match of the two-match series in Chattogram. Kuldeep Yadav scored vital 40 runs in the first innings with the bat. Then, he took five wickets and three wickets respectively in two innings.

His performance was instrumental as the Men in Blue won that match by 188 wickets. He won the player of the match award also. But, in the second match of that series, India dropped him and surprised fans. Regarding that, Sunil Gavaskar said: "To drop a Man of the Match is absolutely unbelievable...and unbelievable is a very gentle word. I want to use more harsh words.” 

Karun Nair, 2017

Karun Nair (Image Source: Twitter)

This batter surprised everyone when he smashed 303* runs off 381 balls, including 32 fours and four sixes against England. It was the fifth and final match of that series that took place in Chennai. However, India won the match by an innings and 75 runs. Karun Nair won the player of the match award for his marathon knock. It was the last Test match of 2016 that the Men in Blue played. Then, in 2017, they took on Bangladesh in a one-off Test on 9 February in Hyderabad. 

This batter was a part of the squad and everyone expected to see him in action again. But, Virat Kohli-led team India dropped him and shocked everyone. Ajinkya Rahane replaced him and in support of that, Kohli said: "Karun was stepping into his shoes and what he did was remarkable. Sealing his spot, as far as the squad is concerned, is what Karun did. But as I said you can't overlook 2 years of hard work from Ajinkya. He deserves to walk back into the team whenever he got fit. That is my take on it.”    

Manoj Tiwary, 2012

Manoj Tiwary (Image Source: Twitter)

This Bengal batter scored his maiden ODI ton in the fifth and last match of the West Indies series in Chennai. India won that match by 34 runs as Manoj Tiwary scored 104* runs off 126 balls, including 10 fours and one six. He won the player of the match award.  However, it was the last ODI match that the Men in Blue played in 2011. Then, in 2012, they took on Australia in the first match of the CB series on 5 February in Melbourne. This batter was a part of the squad and everyone expected to see him in action again. But, team India dropped him and shocked everyone. 

He failed to get into the playing XI for the next 14 matches and the reason behind it was a mystery to him also. While speaking to Sports Tak, Manoj Tiwary said: "The current management that is backing the players despite failing in 4-5 matches, had it been there when I was playing, it would have helped me because if you remember, I was scored a 100 against West Indies and was named Man of the Match. And still got dropped for the next 14 matches, and couldn’t make a place in the Playing XI. It is still a mystery. This question I will definitely ask those who were in charge back then."