‘Why is Shubman Gill selected for T20 World Cup squad?’ Cricket legend says BCCI chooses GT captain ‘even if he fails’

Ruturaj Gaikwad's exclusion and Shubman Gill’s inclusion as a reserve player in India’s T20 World Cup squad have irked former Indian cricketer Krishnamachari Srikkanth. The legendary cricketer, who was a part of India’s champion squad in the 1983 ODI World Cup, has accused the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) of “favouritism”.

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"Shubman Gill is totally out of form. Why is he selected for the team? There's no doubt that Ruturaj Gaikwad deserves a place. He scored more than 500 runs in 17 innings. Also, he scored a century against Australia,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel ‘Cheeky Cheeka’.

During the discussion, The legendary opening batter spoke with his son, Anirudha Srikkanth. Anirudha is a cricketer himself. He used to play for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Krishnamachari Srikkanth has been candid about how fond he is of the IPL team. He has repeatedly shown animated support for his “home” team.

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“Shubman Gill is a selectors' delight. He gets a chance even if he fails. He finds his place even if he fails in Tests, ODIs, and T20s. There's too much favouritism in selection. The team selection is all about favouritism," he added.

Ruturaj and Shubman in IPL 2024

Ruturaj has been enjoying a fantastic IPL 2024. He has scored 509 runs in 10 innings so far. In the game against Punjab Kings (PBKS), he was a lone warrior for his team. The CSK skipper’s 62 off 48 balls helped him dethrone Virat Kohli and claim the Orange Cap. King Kohli is, however, breathing on his shoulder with 500 runs, just 9 runs behind.

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Shubman Gill has not, however, been at his finest during this tournament. He has scored 320 runs in 10 innings. He is far away from competing for the Orange Cap, awarded to the highest run-getter in the tournament. His teammate Sai Sudharsan is way ahead of him with 418 runs in the equal number of innings.