Gautam Gambhir Slammed After BCCI Announces T20I Squad vs Afghanistan: "Coach Favourites Are Back"

The BCCI just unveiled its 15-member T20I squad for the three-match series vs Afghanistan (opener Sept 13, Delhi), and like any freshly composed score, it's already drawing critics to the front row. Former India bat S Badrinath isn't mincing words — he's calling the selection a return of "coach's favourites," and quietly pointing the finger at head coach Gautam Gambhir.

At the heart of Badrinath's critique is Washington Sundar, who he feels has been handed tremendous backing and "needs to really make use of it." Then there's Nitish Kumar Reddy — Badrinath respects the youngster's bat but is skeptical of him as a bowling AR: "I still feel he's a bat and not someone I rate with the ball." To my ear, it's the old debate of the two-handed player — is the rhythm in the arms or the hands?

The squad does bring back several key names from the sidelines — Bumrah, Sundar, Reddy and Harshit Rana all named, though each needs fitness clearance from the BCCI's Centre of Excellence. For Badrinath, Bumrah's potential return is the real melody here — a huge positive heading into the Asian Games gold-medal defence in Japan later this month. He even wondered if it was Bumrah himself who pushed to return, having been silent on the pitch since July's England ODI series before a left knee injury ended his SL tour.

In short — a squad built on familiar motifs, a couple of questionable notes, and the promise of Bumrah bringing his old tempo back to the pace attack. Perhaps the best thing about music, and cricket alike, is that every new movement gets its own chance to be heard.

Source: NDTV Sports