Rahul Dravid's omission from the Indian squad for the first two one-day internationals of the five-match series against Pakistan came as a surprise to team manager Lalchand Rajput.
"Let's put it this way -- I am surprised at his omission. He's such a class player, a virtual wall against the opposition. We will definitely miss him," Rajput said on Monday.
He was non-committal when asked whether he could have opposed the five-man selection panel's decision to drop the former Indian captain from the team for the ODIs at Guwahati (Nov 5) and Mohali (Nov 8).
"I was not invited for the meeting of the selection committee and I can't comment on it," he pointed out.
Rajput, who was named cricket manager of the team after the selection of the squad for the first two ODIs, was present at Ahmedabad as coach of the Indian Red outfit for the Challenger series when the selectors met there on October 27.
The former India and Mumbai opener said he hasn't had a chance to talk to the selectors after the team was picked.
"I haven't had a chance to talk to them. Let's see," he said.
Rajput was en route to Delhi to attend Tuesday's felicitation function for the victorious World Twenty20 Championship-winning team by President Pratibha Patil.
He was the team's cricket manager when it beat the odds and emerged triumphant in the inaugural edition of the event in South Africa last month.
