Bhubaneswar, Nov. 20 -- Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujarahad dismissed the idea of a "transition phase" earlier this year, calling it an excuse for India's batting collapse on the tricky Eden Gardens pitch that resulted in a 30-run defeat to South Africa. The debate resurfaced on Wednesday when former cricketer Manoj Tiwary made a sharp accusation, claiming that the same "transition" narrative forced senior players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to step away from Test cricket despite their desire to continue.

In a recent interaction, Tiwary argued that Indian cricket, with its strong domestic talent pool, does not need a transition phase. He said that repeated discussions around transition created an atmosphere that ultimately pushed K...