The announcement of Team India’s squad for the Cricket World Cup 2023 by BCCI’s chief selector, Ajit Agarkar, has ignited discussions and opinions about the team’s composition. Foreign cricket experts have also weighed in on the matter, and this has not gone unnoticed by former Indian cricket captain Sunil Gavaskar.
Gavaskar expressed his irritation when asked to respond to a tweet by former Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Najam Sethi, in which Sethi suggested that India was afraid to play Pakistan. Gavaskar’s frustration stemmed from the involvement of foreign experts in discussions about India’s squad selection.
In an interview on Sports Today, Gavaskar criticized the prominence given to foreign experts’ opinions in the Indian media. He questioned why experts from other countries were involved in assessing India’s team composition when Indian players didn’t do the same for other nations.
Gavaskar said, “If you see the statements that come out from their side… sadly our media gives them the prominence. We have Pakistan players, and Australian players selecting the Indian team. How is it their concern? Do any Indian players go and select the Australian or the Pakistan team? It’s none of our business. But we allow that.”
He further elaborated on how foreign experts often compare Pakistani and Indian players, making claims that one is better than the other, which he believed was for catering to their respective audiences.
Gavaskar’s suggestion was clear: the Indian media should not provide space for overseas experts to comment on Indian squad selection. He urged the media to refrain from giving attention to comments made by foreign experts about Team India.
“Don’t give them space in your papers. You have a South Africa saying a player should be in your team. You have an Australian saying. It happens too often. They say who should bat at no. 3 or no. 4. C’mon, we don’t need your advice,” Gavaskar emphasized.
The debate about India’s squad for the 2023 Cricket World Cup has been a subject of great interest among cricket enthusiasts. The team, led by Rohit Sharma with Hardik Pandya as his deputy, includes several notable players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer. However, the opinions and criticisms surrounding the selection process have been a topic of discussion, both domestically and internationally.
Here is Team India’s Cricket World Cup 2023 squad:
- Rohit Sharma (captain)
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Shreyas Iyer
- Ishan Kishan
- KL Rahul
- Hardik Pandya (vice-captain)
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Axar Patel
- Shardul Thakur
- Jasprit Bumrah
- Mohammed Shami
- Mohammed Siraj
- Kuldeep Yadav
