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| File photo: BCCI |
Former Indian cricketer S. Badrinath expressed his frustration over the selection criteria of the Indian team, criticizing the exclusion of Ruturaj Gaikwad from the T20 squad and Rinku Singh from the ODI squad for the Sri Lanka tour.
Key Points:
· BCCI announced the Indian squad for the T20 and ODI series against Sri Lanka.
· Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rinku Singh were not included in the squads despite impressive performances.
· S. Badrinath criticized the selection process and expressed disappointment.
Detailed Overview:
The Indian team is set to depart for the Sri Lanka tour soon, with the BCCI recently announcing the squad for the T20 and ODI matches. However, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rinku Singh were notably absent from the list. This decision has sparked criticism from former Indian cricketer S. Badrinath.
Recent Performances Overlooked:
Before the Sri Lanka tour, the Indian team played a five-match T20 series against Zimbabwe, where both Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rinku Singh delivered strong performances. Ruturaj, captain of the Chennai Super Kings, scored 133 runs in four matches, including a half-century. Meanwhile, Rinku Singh scored 60 runs in four matches. Despite these performances, neither player was selected for the T20 or ODI series against Sri Lanka.
Badrinath's Disappointment:
S. Badrinath voiced his disappointment regarding the selection criteria of the Indian team. He criticized the exclusion of Ruturaj Gaikwad from the T20 team and Rinku Singh from the ODI team. Badrinath suggested that to secure a place in the Indian team, players seemingly need a "bad boy" image and tattoos on their bodies.
Badrinath remarked, "Sometimes it feels like you need a bad guy image. When Rinku Singh, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and others are not selected for the Indian team, it feels like you need to have some relationships with Bollywood actresses, a good media manager, and tattoos on your body."
Departure Schedule:
The Indian team is scheduled to play a limited-overs series against Sri Lanka starting on July 27. Under Suryakumar Yadav’s leadership, the team will play a three-match T20 series, followed by a three-match ODI series led by Rohit Sharma. The team will depart from Mumbai to Colombo on a chartered flight on July 22. Nair and Dilip may also join the team, though it is unclear when Duskatte will join.
