Harsha Bhogle Explains Why Ajit Agarkar Didn’t Pick Rinku Singh And Gaikwad For WI T20Is: In his first India squad as the new Chief Selector, Ajit Agarkar handed debut call-ups to Yashasvi Jaiswal and Tilak Varma in India’s T20I team for the 5-T20I series in the West Indies and the USA giving both of them earned places following a stellar IPL 2023 season.
However, Agarkar, who was recently appointed as the new Chairman of the men’s selection committee, also overlooked two other IPL performers in Gaikwad and Singh.
The exclusion of Rinku Singh in particular hasn’t sat well with the fans and former cricketers, especially in the absence of Rishabh Pant. India have only Hardik Pandya and Sanju Samson as so-called finishers, even though both of them have been batting higher up in the order at number 3 and 4 for their IPL franchises. While Jaiswal and Varma deserved their call-up in the T20I team, the ouster of both Gaikwad and Rinku is questioned.
Harsha Bhogle addressed why Gaikwad and Rinku Singh have been excluded
Renowned commentator Harsha Bhogle pointed out that since Jaiswal and Gill have been selected along with Ishan Kishan as the second wicket-keeper, and Kishan is an opener as well, there was no place for Gaikwad. For Rinku, Bhogle explained that Tilak Varma has been picked over him, which was a tough choice to make.
“Bit hard on Gaikwad and Rinku Singh. I guess the moment they settled, understandably, on Jaiswal & Gill, and wanted Ishan as a keeper, there was no room for Gaikwad. With Rinku, it was a straight call between him and Tilak Varma. Very difficult choice to make. Sometimes when you get slotted as a finisher, you narrow your offerings. But Rinku is right there, at the door,” Harsha Bhogle tweeted.
Bhogle also asserted the lack of all-rounders apart from Pandya and Axar.
“My greater concern is with the bowling. Other than Axar, no one bats and given that other than Hardik, no batter bowls, the balance of this team is not perfect. Given Axar has to play, it might get tough to get both Kuldeep and Chahal in. In the West Indies, I would prefer both and play Arshdeep and Avesh/Mukesh with Hardik sharing the new ball and contributing at the death.”
Bit hard on Gaikwad and Rinku Singh. I guess the moment they settled, understandably, on Jaiswal & Gill, and wanted Ishan as a keeper, there was no room for Gaikwad. With Rinku, it was a straight call between him and Tilak Varma. Very difficult choice to make. Sometimes when you…
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) July 6, 2023
India’s T20I squad: Ishan Kishan (wk), Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Tilak Varma, Surya Kumar Yadav (VC), Sanju Samson (wk), Hardik Pandya (C), Axar Patel, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Umran Malik, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.
