The recent squad selection of Team India for the 2023 Asia Cup has triggered a debate as the selection and non-selection of few players has led to divided opinions with the BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar defending the choices.
As expected, batters KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been picked for the continental tournament after the duo completed their rehab at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. However, several reports claim that Rahul has picked up a fresh niggle and could miss the opening two games of the Asia Cup.
Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has criticised the current group of India selectors, terming them clueless about the fitness of certain players. He also expressed that if KL Rahul wasn’t fit, he shouldn’t have been part of Asia Cup squad.
Srikkanth, himself a former India selector, said it was his policy that on the day of selection if a certain player isn’t fit, then he won’t make the cut in his squad.
“I do not get this selection (for Asia Cup),” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel Cheeky Cheeka.
“Why do you need so many medium pacers? Selectors are no sure who is fit, who is not. Rahul has a niggle, so you should not have picked him. My policy was on the day of the section if a player is not fit, you should not select him. You want to keep him for World Cup? Fine, you do that but hoping he will play after two games? My point is Ajit Agarkar and co are confused. If you are not (sure), just do not consider them.”
Recently, India were in Ireland for three T20Is which they won 2-0 after the final contest was washed out due to rain and the short tour witnessed ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna making their competitive returns after being sidelined due to injury.
Srikkanth said Krishna has been judged on the basis of just few overs.
“Look at Prasidh Krishna, you are selecting him on the basis of four-over spells he bowled in Ireland, he did not play competitive cricket for more than year, do you think this is the right call to pick him?” he said.
“This is a confused selection policy, safe selection policy, hoping for the best policy,” he added.