India’s emphatic 106-run victory against South Africa in the final T20I salvaged a 1-1 series draw, but the jubilant cheers were overshadowed by whispers of selection dilemmas. While Suryakumar Yadav’s century and Kuldeep Yadav’s birthday fifer stole the headlines, the absence of in-form players like Ravi Bishnoi and Ruturaj Gaikwad sparked debate.
Bishnoi, the Player of the Series against Australia with a nine-wicket haul, remained on the sidelines for the second consecutive match, leaving former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir perplexed.
“Kuldeep and Bishnoi bowling in tandem could have been a potent attacking option,” he opined. “Bishnoi would have been the ideal wicket-taker against the South African batting, especially in the powerplay,” Gautam Gambhir added, questioning the rationale behind the unchanging playing XI.
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He further criticized the logic behind overlooking Bishnoi, who recently climbed to the top of the T20I bowling rankings after his stellar performance against Australia.
“Who’s your best bet to take wickets in the powerplay? It has to be your leg-spinner. Fast bowlers won’t be effective against this batting lineup, especially in Johannesburg conditions,” Gautam Gambhir stated, hinting at a potential bias against Bishnoi.
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His biting remark, “You should never become the Player of the Series; it’s the first criteria for getting dropped,” resonated with many fans who questioned the logic behind Bishnoi’s exclusion. The young Jodhpur-born spinner, with 34 wickets in 21 T20Is, has seemingly ousted Yuzvendra Chahal and appears on the fast track to the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad, the leading run-scorer against Australia, found no place in the playing XI either. This decision, coupled with Bishnoi’s snub, has left the Indian selection committee under scrutiny. While India managed a draw, the lingering questions about Bishnoi and Gaikwad’s exclusion cast a shadow of uncertainty on the team’s future T20I plans.
