In the midst of India versus New Zealand's ODI World Cup match commentary, former India skipper Gautam Gambhir delivered a scathing critique of the Indian selection committee's decisions during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.
In a bold declaration, he described that year's MSK Prasad-led India's selection committee as ‘the worst selection committee in the history of Indian cricket.’
The epicenter of Gambhir's criticism was the baffling decision to exclude batsman Ambati Rayudu from the World Cup team. For many that exclusion was a puzzle, primarily because the No. 4 batting slot, crucial for the team's dynamics, was the topic of much debate leading up to the tournament. Rayudu, with his consistent performance and regular appearances for the team throughout the preceding year, seemed to be the best fit for this spot. Yet, when the squad for the World Cup was announced, his name was conspicuously absent, leading to widespread debate and dissent.
Gambhir's commentary didn’t just focus on this individual decision but went on to critique the broader mindset and approach of the selection committee. He said that the players and resources available to the team management are directly influenced by the choices and decisions of the selection committee. This makes their role pivotal in shaping the trajectory of the team. Drawing attention to this, Gambhir questioned the rationale behind sidelining a player like Rayudu, especially considering his integral role in the team's journey leading up to the World Cup.
Diving deeper into his argument, Gambhir pulled no punches and said, “The Selection Committee for the Indian Cricket Team during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 was the worst selection committee in the history of Indian cricket and the reason for that, is you drop a batter like Ambati Rayudu, you don’t take him for the World Cup and you take someone else when your biggest concern was the No.4 spot."
Gambhir further added, “So when you have a selection committee with such thinking, we can talk about team management, team management might’ve made some mistakes but the resources which our team management gets are given by the selectors. And you played Ambati Rayudu for the whole year and then right before the World Cup you dropped him and no one knows the reason behind this.”
Gautam Gambhir's candid remarks underscore the intricacies and challenges that lurk behind team selections, especially for a marquee event like the World Cup.
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