Former Indian cricketer and legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar is not surprised with the BCCI and selection committee ignoring Hanuma Vihari for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand.
Hanuma Vihari’s exclusion from the Indian squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against New Zealand has raised many eyebrows. Hanuma Vihari, who has been a regular in Team India’s Test set up has been ignored by the selection committee for the upcoming home series against New Zealand.
The talented batsman was last seen playing for team India in January on the Australia tour. He later traveled with the Indian squad for the England Test series but failed to get a place in the playing XI.
It was expected that he will be joining the Indian team for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, however, he was snubbed from the squad. His exclusion from the squad has raised questions on the selection committee. Several former cricketers and expert have expressed their disappointment over his exclusion.
Meanwhile, former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar feels that IPL performances affect the selectors. Speaking to India Today, Gavaskar said that since Vihari didn’t play in the IPL 2021, he went “out of sight” and therefore, “out of mind” of the selection committee. He said:
“I really was not surprised to be honest because he hasn’t played any cricket in the interim. He hasn’t played in the IPL so hasn’t had any cricket under his belt in the last three or four months. On the other hand, the others who have been selected have had some cricket, not necessarily Test cricket, so maybe that’s the reason why they came into the picture,”
He added:
“Also, a lot of times we have seen over the years that the performances in the IPL have invariably been the ones that nudge the selection committee so that seems to have happened. Hanuma Vihari hasn’t played a single IPL game so out of sight, out of mind,”
Currently, Vihari is playing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Tournament. While he has been snubbed from the Indian squad for the Test series against New Zealand, the cricketer has been added to India A squad for the upcoming South Africa tour.
