Former chairman of the selection committee Kris Srikkanth expressed his disappointment over the selection of injured KL Rahul for the upcoming Asia Cup. The BCCI selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, announced the 17-member squad for the tournament. Rahul, who recently recovered from a thigh injury sustained during IPL, developed an unrelated niggle. Despite the niggle, he was included in the Asia Cup squad, raising questions about the selection policy.
Srikkanth criticized the Agarkar-led panel, stressing that an injured player like Rahul should not have been part of the team. He questioned the decision to pick Rahul when he was not fit during the selection. Srikkanth stated that the selection policy should be to not select a player if he is unfit on the day of selection. He emphasized that if a player is not fit, he should not be picked for the squad.
In the selection press conference, Agarkar defended the decision to include Rahul, mentioning the importance of him getting enough game time ahead of the ODI World Cup in India. However, Srikkanth remained unimpressed, saying that if the selectors wanted Rahul to play in the World Cup, they should have directly selected him for that event and not for the Asia Cup. He also highlighted the inclusion of Sanju Samson as a travelling reserve, questioning the rationale behind it.
The inclusion of Rahul in the squad raises doubts about his availability for India’s opening game against Pakistan on September 2. The niggle makes Rahul a doubtful starter for the match.
The ongoing Asia Cup will serve as a crucial preparation for the upcoming ODI World Cup. India will be looking to give their key players significant game time and fine-tune their strategies before the global event. The selection of injured players like Rahul in crucial tournaments has always been a subject of debate in Indian cricket, especially considering the fitness concerns and need for match fitness ahead of important tournaments.
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