Krishnamachari Srikkanth Criticizes BCCI Over Ruturaj Gaikwad’s Exclusion from T20 World Cup Squad
Former Indian cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth has raised some serious concerns regarding the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decision to overlook Chennai Super Kings’ rising star Ruturaj Gaikwad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 squad selection. Srikkanth’s strong comments shed light on issues of favoritism and biased selection practices within the cricketing hierarchy.
Expressing his disappointment over Ruturaj Gaikwad’s absence from the squad, Srikkanth criticized the inclusion of Shubman Gill, despite his inconsistent performances across different formats. According to Srikkanth, Gaikwad’s stellar record in T20I matches, where he scored over 500 runs in 17 innings and even hit a century against Australia, should have secured him a spot in the team.
Srikkanth voiced his concerns on his YouTube channel, questioning the selectors’ decision-making process. He pointed out that Shubman Gill, who he believes is currently out of form, continuously gets opportunities despite not delivering consistent performances in Test matches, ODIs, and T20s. Srikkanth emphasized that the team selection should be based on merit rather than favoritism.
The former cricketer also highlighted Gaikwad’s impressive performance in the IPL 2024, where he emerged as the highest run-scorer with over 500 runs in just 10 innings. Despite his exceptional form, Gaikwad was surprisingly left out of the national squad, sparking discussions among fans and experts alike.
Srikkanth’s criticism extended to the exclusion of Rinku Singh from the T20 World Cup squad, which he described as “rubbish” selection. He praised Singh’s valuable contributions in challenging situations, especially his performance against Afghanistan in South Africa. Srikkanth accused the selectors of sacrificing deserving candidates in favor of others, solely for appeasement.
India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 includes notable players like Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah.
The reserves for the team consist of Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, and Avesh Khan.
Overall, Srikkanth’s critique highlights the need for a more transparent and merit-based selection process within Indian cricket. It raises important questions about the criteria used by the selectors and advocates for fairness and equality in team selection.