Sanjay Manjrekar has criticised the Agarkar-led selection panel after the announcement of India’s Asia Cup T20I squad. He said selectors often reward performances in one format by giving players chances in another, which he feels is unfair and illogical.
Manjrekar on Selection Logic
On Instagram, Manjrekar noted the long-standing trend of players being rewarded for Test success with T20 places. He said such decisions lack cricketing logic. In his view, only format-specific performance should count while choosing squads.
Shreyas Iyer’s Shock Exclusion
The biggest talking point is the omission of Shreyas Iyer, who has been in outstanding form. In the England ODI series, he batted fluently and with consistency. His IPL season was his best yet, scoring over 604 runs at a strike rate above 175.
Punjab Kings Final Breakthrough
Iyer also powered Punjab Kings to their first final in 11 years, cementing his place as one of the most reliable T20 batters. Despite this success, he did not make the 15-member squad, the 20-member pool, or even the 5 standbys.
Vice-Captaincy for Shubman Gill
The selection also saw Test captain Shubman Gill named as vice-captain of the T20 side. Manjrekar questioned this choice, insisting that Gill’s Test form should not be the reason for his T20 selection, especially when Iyer was overlooked.
Fans Back Manjrekar’s Criticism
Fans and experts reacted strongly on social media. Many agreed with Manjrekar that selectors must give priority to performance in the relevant format. They felt ignoring Iyer’s form raises questions about India’s selection approach.
A Policy Under Scrutiny
The debate highlights the larger question of how selectors balance leadership roles, experience, and current form. With Shreyas Iyer at his peak in T20 cricket, his exclusion has sparked widespread criticism of India’s selection policy.
