Former Indian top-order batter and cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar has slammed the Indian selectors after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced India’s squad for the upcoming tour to the West Indies. The Men in Blue are set to play an all-format series in the Caribbean which includes two Tests, three ODIs and five T20Is.
But the announced teams didn’t include Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan, who had a stellar 2022–23 Ranji Trophy season. Khan piled up 556 runs in six games at an average of 92.66 with three centuries. This magical run was a continuation from the 2021–22 Ranji season, where the right-handed batter had scored 982 runs at an average of 122.75 including four tons.
Addressing this issue, Gavaskar criticised the Indian Selection committee for ignoring top performances from the Ranji Trophy or First Class cricket. While speaking to Sports Today, Gavaskar said, “Sarfaraz Khan has been scoring at an average of 100 in all past three seasons. What does he have to do to be picked in the squad?”
He might not be in the XI, but you pick him in the team. Tell him that his performances are being recognized. Otherwise, stop playing Ranji Trophy. Say, it’s of no use, you just play IPL and think you are good enough for the red ball game as well,” he further continued.
India’s Test squad:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel, Mohd. Siraj, Mukesh Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Navdeep Saini.
India’s ODI squad:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Virat Kohli, Surya Kumar Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Shardul Thakur, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohd. Siraj, Umran Malik, Mukesh Kumar.
