This time around, though, the snub-being left out of the North Zone team for Duleep Trophy-has hurt him, even though he admits himself that he did not have a great season gone by.

From leading the team to the title last season, this time around, Manhas’s name didn’t even figure in the squad leaving for Rajkot to play South Zone, let alone be a part of the playing XI.

Without going too much into it, the batsman reasons that the unremarkable season he has had this year is to be blamed for his exclusion. “It’s very hard to say why I was not picked. I guess I just didn’t play well this season. When you don’t score you don’t expect to be picked either. I’ve always played my cricket that way. So, I have no regrets,” shrugs Manhas.

The numbers game
The weight behind the words can be measured by simply comparing the numbers — 598 runs from nine matches averaging 49.83 last season as against 242 from seven at 30.25 in 2008-09. He hasn’t scored a single century this season, with 98 against Mumbai being his highest score.

But just as he is not too dismayed by the axe, he is also looking forward to the rest of the season which includes, majorly, the Ranji Trophy limited-overs cricket and Twenty20 matches.

“I have to do what I’m supposed to as a player... Keep scoring runs and make sure that the selectors are aware that I’m still around. Everything else is irrelevant,” Manhas stresses.

However, even as he dismisses suggestions of a snub from selectors, missing out on the Duleep Trophy matches after leading the team must rankle.

As things stand, the upcoming Ranji one-dayers are going to be his next possible break and rank atop his priority list.