BCCI Selection Committee Defends Exclusion of Samson, Gaikwad, Sharma

Former India pacer Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the BCCI selection committee, faced scrutiny at a press conference on Monday regarding the exclusion of several players from the team's tour of Sri Lanka.

Agarkar defended the committee's decisions, emphasizing the limited roster size and the need to prioritize balance. He acknowledged the strong performances of Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Abhishek Sharma in Zimbabwe but maintained that not everyone could be accommodated in the 15-man squad.

"Every player who's left out feels hard done by," Agarkar said. "Our challenge is to pick only 15. You try and get the best balance possible. So someone's likely to miss out."

Agarkar cited the example of Rinku Singh, who was omitted from India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad despite his impressive form. He stressed that such exclusions are sometimes unavoidable due to the competitive nature of team selection.

"We had an opportunity to give some of those guys a go in the Zimbabwe series, which was good," Agarkar added. "So, we have enough depth if tomorrow there is loss of form for the players that are playing or there are injuries."

Agarkar emphasized the difficulty of balancing individual performances with team dynamics. He explained that while players may have had strong recent showings, the selectors must consider the overall composition of the squad and the suitability of each player for specific roles.

"But it's tough," Agarkar said. "I mean Rinku for no fault of his missed out from the World Cup, it's an example. He had a terrific [run in the] T20 leading up to the World Cup. But sometimes it's just the way it goes. Unfortunately for us as well, it is difficult to fit everyone in the fifteen."

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