The 2023 ODI World Cup might be a few months away but the BCCI reportedly has shortlisted 20 India players out of which the squad will be finalised for the marquee event. The board though has left the door open for anyone other than from this pool to stake a claim provided there’s an exceptional performance in the domestic circuit.
While the list hasn’t been made public, there has been criticism from few players who think limiting the list to 20 cricketers isn’t enough and advised expanding it further.
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While the debate over who enters the pool will continue, a batting legend Sunil Gavaskar has suggested the Indian media to not ask overseas commentators whom they think deserves a place in the ODI World Cup squad.
Gavaskar, widely recognised as one of the greatest batters to have played the game, thinks that the foreign commentators could deliberately end up naming players who aren’t needed by the team at all.
He backed his argument by claiming how a player fawned upon by commentators during IPL 2019 ended up being India’s world cup squad ahead of a much-deserving candidate. Moreover, the player, whom he didn’t name, was hardly made use of by the team in England as they exited in the semifinals.
“Hopefully, our media won’t be going to overseas commentators asking who should be picked for India. Never forget that these commentators are loyal to their country and may actually suggest names that may not be what India need,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for the Mid-day.
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“We saw what happened in the last World Cup where a newcomer’s name was pushed by the overseas commentators during that season’s IPL and he was eventually picked over a proven performer and India ended up hardly playing him in the XI,” he added.
Gavaskar hinted that there’s a possibility of a repeat of what happened during 2019 WC and then the joke will be on us.
“Cricket being hugely popular, it is understandable that there has to be some cricket news or the other but it would be terrific if we don’t go around asking foreigners what our teams should be, because then the joke could well be on us, the Indian fans and it won’t be funny at all,” he wrote
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