'Don't talk about Ashwin. This is our Team India, stop creating controversy...': Gavaskar breathes fire on Asia Cup team
Sunil Gavaskar lost his cool while responding to a fan query on the absence of Ravichandran Ashwin from India's Asia Cup 2023 squad.
Apart from the absence of one extra specialist spinner - be it leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, or the off-spin-bowling all-rounders Ravichandran Ashwin or Washington Sundar - India's Asia Cup 2023 squad announced on Monday was more or less on the expected lines. India went ahead with Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul despite the latter's niggle and picked Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma as middle-order options and preferred Kuldeep Yadav over Chahal as the lone specialist spinner.
There was some discussion for straightaway drafting Iyer and Rahul into the Asia Cup squad without testing their match fitness after long injury lay-offs but the Indian team management hardly had an option. If they want Iyer and Rahul in the World Cup XI then Asia Cup was the best bet to test their fitness.
There was another school of thought claiming SKY and Tilak Varma's selection over Sanju Samson was not the best of choices but here too the selectors had their preference clear. They were always going to back Surya for the No.6 spot and after the kind of performance Tilak dished out in the West Indies, he was the best possible backup choice because of being a left-hander. Samson, in any case, will be travelling to Sri Lanka as a backup keeper.
The biggest debate, however, was reserved for the spin department. Quite surprisingly, India, despite picking 17 players, went in with only three spin-bowling options, out of which two are identical - Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel. Kuldeep was the lone wrist spinner. India captain Rohit Sharma said they wanted a No.8 who can score runs and that is where Axar and Shardul Thakur pipped Chahal. But wouldn't Ravichandran Ashwin or Washington Sundar have been a better choice then? They can hold their own at No.8 and more importantly, would have given India a different option of fielding an off-spinner.
Legendary Sunil Gavaskar feels the squad picked by chief selector Ajit Agarkar and his team is a good one. Gavaskar, in fact, lost his cool while responding to a fan query on Ashwin's omission from India's Asia Cup squad.
VIDEO: Sunil Gavaskar loses cool while responding to a fan query on Ashwin's non-selection in Asia Cup
“Yes, there are a few players who will believe that they are lucky. But the team is selected. So don't talk about Ashwin. Stop creating controversy. This is our team now. If you don't like it, don't watch the matches but stop saying that he should have been picked or another should be there, this is a wrong mindset,” Gavaskar said on Aaj Tak.
'No player can claim there was an injustice. Who else would you have picked?': Gavaskar ends Chahal, Samson debate
Without naming Samson, Chahal, Ashwin or Sundar, the former India captain said no one can claim that they were wronged. "Yes, absolutely (this team can win the World Cup). Who else would you have picked? I don't think any player can claim that he has been an injustice to him. The experienced and in-form players have been selected in the 17-member Asia Cup squad," Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar also backed the decision to pick Rahul, who has developed a new niggle and might not be available for the first match of the Asia Cup against Pakistan on September 2.
Gavaskar backs Rahul's selection
"Let's see what his injury is like. Winning the Asia Cup is important but the goal is the World Cup. So If the team management wants KL Rahul in the World Cup squad then I think it's right that they have selected him for Asia Cup despite a niggle. As far as India are concerned, there are 11 days to go. That's enough time to recover from a niggle. And there are more matches as well, right till the middle of September. I think it will be fair to give KL Rahul (a chance) after all that he has done for India in the past, to give him the opportunity to recover," Gavaskar said.
When asked about the team's chances of winning the World Cup and Asia Cup, Gavaskar said it's a good side.
"The team that has been selected for the Asia Cup is a good team. We should have the 15 for the World Cup from this team only. When you play for India, every match is important. You should always strive to win every match. And Asia Cup is a big tournament. But winning the World Cup is totally different, that can't be replicated by an Asia Cup win. So you have to look at the bigger picture. If they win Asia Cup, very good but the goal is to win the World Cup."
