Sunil Gavaskar backs the Indian team selection amid criticism

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup. But the team selection did not go down well with some notable ex-Indian cricketers, who named their preferred players on the team. But the BCCI has found an ally in the form of batting great Sunil Gavaskar, who has urged experts to back the selected personnel for the upcoming ICC event.

India’s dismal Asia Cup campaign drew a lot of flak from former cricketers. And when the apex cricketing body announced the team for the T20 World Cup in Australia, former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin and Dilip Vengsarkar were critical of the team selection.

“Surprised at the omission of Shreyas Iyer and Md. Shami from the main squad. Shreyas Iyer instead of Deepak Hooda and Md. Shami in the place of Harshal Patel would be my choice,” were the words of Hyderabad Cricket Association president, Mohammad Azharuddin.

Former chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar also jumped on the bandwagon, saying, “I would have picked Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik and Shubman Gill for the T20 World Cup. Would have given them a long run in T20Is because they all had a brilliant IPL season.”

We shouldn’t question selections and omissions as it can demoralise some of the players: Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar has now come out in support of the team and reckons that the Men in Blue can bring home the ICC trophy with a bit of luck. He even took a dig at the critics by urging them to back the team rather than demoralizing them ahead of such an important tournament.

“I believe that this team, with a bit of luck that every team needs, can bring home the trophy. Once the team is selected, then it’s our India team and we all have to back it. We shouldn’t question selections and omissions as it can demoralise some of the players,” Gavaskar said to The Indian Express.