Former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth pointed out that the BCCI selectors have named a full-strength squad, while adding that they have made a mistake by doing so. India picked the regular T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Afghanistan, with Shreyas Iyer being the captain of the side. The matches will serve as a dress rehearsal for the Indian team, which will aim to defend its gold medal at the Asian Games 2026 right after these bilateral contests. Srikkanth is of the opinion that the selectors should have given chances to more young players.
“After the series losses in Ireland and England, the selectors have decided not to take a chance and picked a full-strength squad for Afghanistan. They are going all guns blazing, but this is a mistake. It’s against teams like Afghanistan that you should try out youngsters. Instead, you’ve picked a full-strength squad out of fear,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.
India recently suffered a shocking 2-0 T20I series whitewash at the hands of Ireland before losing 4-0 to England in the format. Shreyas Iyer and Co., however, clean-swept Zimbabwe 3-0 in the T20I series that followed.
“It feels like a desperation move after the Ireland and England losses. But this squad is almost the same as the one they picked for England,” said Srikkanth.
The 1983 World Cup winner also questioned the fitness of four players — Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah and Harshit Rana — who have been picked for the Afghanistan T20Is, subject to fitness clearance.
“These four have not proved match-fitness. So on what basis are they subject to fitness? Just because you prove your fitness at the Bengaluru CoE, are you fit? That’s how Harshit Rana went to England, and then what happened to him there? So match-fitness is important,” the 1983 World Cup winner said.
India’s squad for the Afghanistan T20Is: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma (vice-captain), Shivam Dube, Nitish Kumar Reddy*, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, Varun Chakaravarthy, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah*, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana*.
