T20 WC: Srikkanth SLAMS BCCI for picking Shubman Gill over Ruturaj Gaikwad, says 'it is all about favouritism'

Former Indian chief selector Kris Srikkanth has lashed out at the Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection committee for picking out-of-form Shubman Gill over Ruturaj Gaikwad in India's 15-man T20 World Cup squad. On Tuesday (April 30), the BCCI announced India's squad which features Rohit Sharma as the captain along with regulars such as Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, etc.

Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant and Sanju Samson were also named in the main squad with Gill, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed and Rinku Singh part ofthe reserves list. This has not been well received by Srikkanth -- India's 1983 World Cup-winning member -- as he feels Gill is completely out of form in the ongoing IPL 2024 edition, contrary to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain Gaikwad.

So far, Gujarat Titans (GT) captain Gill has 320 runs in 10 games at an average of35.56. Meanwhile, Gaikwad is the top run-getter with 509 runs -- at 63.63 and a strike-rate of146.68 with 4 fifties and a hundred. Thus, Srikkanth feels it wasn't fair to overlook the CSK captain's purple patch and claimed thatselection is 'all about favouritism'.

'Gill is selectors' delight, team selection is all about favouritism'

Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel 'Cheeky Chekka', "Shubman Gill is totally out of form, but why he's selected in 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. Shubman Gill is selectors' delight. He gets chance even if he fails. He finds place even if he fails in Test, ODIs and T20s.There's too much of favoritism in selection. The team selection is all about favouritism."

Srikkanth even slammed the selectors for not including Rinku in the main squad, despite a strike-rate of 176.23 in 15 T20Is.

In this regard, he added, "I am not at all happy. C'mon all of you. Rinku Singh has been spoken about all over the world. He has performed in each and every opportunity he has got. How can you drop Rinku Singh? You drop anyone else, it doesn't matter. In my view, Rinku Singh should have been there, even if that meant you had to drop Yashasvi Jaiswal."

India are in Group A along with arch-rivals Pakistan, Ireland, USA and Canada and begin their campaign versus Ireland on June 5, in New York.

India's squad for T20 World Cup 2024:

Rohit Sharma (C), Hardik Pandya (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah.

Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan