The topic of team selection has become a hotbed of discussion in recent times. Whether it was the Asia Cup T20 squad, which notably excluded talents like Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal, or the recent series against Australia, Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar has frequently found himself under intense public scrutiny.
During a frank discussion on Raj Shamani’s podcast, seasoned pacer Ishant Sharma weighed in on this ongoing debate. He remarked, “There’s always a lot of chatter about players like Shreyas Iyer not being chosen, but the real question is – who do you replace them with?” Sharma continued, “You’d have to ask the ICC to expand the squad size to 20 instead of 15, because India genuinely has an incredible abundance of talent. It’s incredibly difficult to get this message across to people. Yes, you might be a fervent supporter of a particular player, but the role of a selector in cricket is truly the most thankless job.”
He further elaborated that selection demands a delicate balancing act, where every choice inevitably leads to repercussions. “If a selector picks one player, that player is instantly lauded by fans. However, the one who misses out invariably makes the selectors look bad. I’m not criticizing Shreyas – he’s an undoubtedly brilliant player – but it truly boils down to achieving the right team balance.”
Ishant also drew comparisons to other high-performing players who were overlooked. He questioned, “Consider Rishabh Pant in T20s – who could possibly take his spot? Or KL Rahul, who delivered a stellar IPL performance but didn’t make it into the T20 squad. If Rahul had been selected, perhaps a Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, or another deserving player would have been left out. That’s the cold hard truth. The players who aren’t selected are always the ones who get talked about the most.”
His insights illuminate the harsh realities and complexities inherent in India’s selection process, where a surplus of remarkable talent consistently clashes with limited opportunities.