'KL Rahul Has a Niggle, Shouldn't Have Picked Him': Former India Opener Slams Ajit Agarkar and Co for 'Confused Selection'

India’s squad for the 2023 Asia Cup has led to quite a debate. The selection and non-selection of certain players has divided opinions with the BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar defending the choices.

On expected lines, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer have been picked after undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. However, reports claim Rahul has picked up a fresh niggle and could miss the opening two matches of the Asia Cup.

Also Read: ‘India Will Win Asia Cup But in World Cup…’ – Former India Selector Points Out a Major Concern

Kris Srikkanth has criticised the current group of India selectors, claiming they seem to be clueless about the fitness of certain players adding if KL Rahul wasn’t fit, he shouldn’t have been part of Asia Cup squad.

Srikkanth, himself a former India selector, said it was his policy that on the day of selection if a certain player isn’t fit, then he won’t make the cut in his squad.

“I do not get this selection (for Asia Cup),” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel Cheeky Cheeka. “Why do you need so many medium pacers? Selectors are no sure who is fit, who is not. Rahul has a niggle, so you should not have picked him. My policy was on the day of the section if a player is not fit, you should not select him. You want to keep him for World Cup? Fine, you do that but hoping he will play after two games? My point is Ajit Agarkar and co are confused. If you are not (sure), just do not consider them.”

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Recently, India were in Ireland for three T20Is which they won 2-0 after the final contest was washed out due to rain. The tour saw Jasprit Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna making their competitive returns from long injury layoffs.

Srikkanth said Krishna has been judged on the basis of just few overs.

“Look at Prasidh Krishna, you are selecting him on the basis of four-over spells he bowled in Ireland, he did not play competitive cricket for more than year, do you think this is the right call to pick him?” he said.

“This is a confused selection policy, safe selection policy, hoping for the best policy,” he added.