Former India captain and ex-chief selector Krishnamachari Srikanth has criticised the thinking behind the squad picked for the upcoming T20 series against Afghanistan, arguing it should have been used to widen India's pool of young players rather than fall back on experience out of fear.
Recent defeats shaped the squad, Srikanth argues
Under Shreyas Iyer's captaincy, India lost all six T20 internationals played recently against Ireland and England. The team then bounced back in July with a 3-0 series win over Zimbabwe. Even so, according to Srikanth, the management still preferred sticking with familiar, experienced names for the Afghanistan assignment rather than building on that Zimbabwe form with fresh faces. He believes that run of results is exactly why the selectors avoided experimenting, choosing proven names over fringe players who could have used the series to make their case.
The three-match series between India and Afghanistan will be held at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, with matches scheduled for September 13, 15 and 17. The series was seen as a chance to test bench strength ahead of bigger assignments, but Srikanth feels that opportunity has effectively been set aside for now.
'A desperation move', Srikanth says
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikanth said the successive series losses left selectors unwilling to take further risks. "It looks like a desperation move after the losses in Ireland and England," he said. He added that the squad picked for Afghanistan is nearly identical to the one fielded in England, even though a side like Afghanistan was precisely the kind of opponent against which India should have tried out younger players. In his view, the fear of another defeat is what forced the selectors back toward a stronger, more experienced line-up.
Fitness of four picks questioned
Srikanth also pointed out that four players named in the Afghanistan squad, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar, are not fully fit. He argued that clearing fitness assessments at the Bengaluru Centre of Excellence alone is not proof that a player is ready for competitive match play at the international level.
He questioned the basis on which the four were considered fit for selection, and cited Harshit Rana's experience in England as an example, referring to what happened to the pacer there as a reason match fitness cannot simply be assumed from training sessions.
Srikanth's remarks add to the wider debate around India's T20 selection approach following this year's results, with the Afghanistan series now being watched closely for how the team balances form, fitness and the case for giving young players a longer run.
