"Foreigners With No...": Sunil Gavaskar Shows No Mercy To AB De Villiers. Reason Is...

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has blasted South Africa great AB de Villiers for his remarks on Shreyas Iyer's Asia Cup 2025 omission. Reacting to Iyer's absence from India's 15-man Asia Cup squad, de Villiers, while speaking on his YouTube channel, speculated there might be something going on behind the scenes, as he believed that his snub can't be based on his performances. The legendary batter also went on to claim that Iyer's inclusion could have led to an ego clash, while highlighting the latter's recent heroics as captain in the IPL and the domestic circuit.

Reacting to de Villiers' remarks, Gavaskar did not mince his words as questioned the logic behind foreign cricketing voicing their opinions on the matters of Indian cricket.

"What is baffling, though, is that foreigners with no stake in Indian cricket and little knowledge about it wade into the debate, adding fuel to the fire. However great they may be as players and however many times they may have been to India, the selection of the Indian team is strictly none of their business. They should focus on their country's cricket and let us Indians worry about our cricket. Amazingly, when their country's teams are selected, there's hardly anything, if ever, heard from them about the selection," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar.

Gavaskar told the overseas players to focus on their own teams, while also mentioning that Indian players never never comment on selection matters of other teams.

"It's almost as if the selection is perfect and they have no comments to make. So why butt your nose into the selection of the Indian team? Have you ever heard Indian ex-cricketers talk about the selection of other countries' teams? No, we mind our own business and seriously couldn't be bothered by who they choose or who they don't select," he added.

Gavaskar also called out the Indian media for involving overseas players in matters related to Indian cricket. He also alleged that the foreign players indulge in such matters to increase their social media following.

"To an extent, the Indian media is also responsible, as they go to overseas cricketers and ask them about Indian cricket. How often, on overseas tours, do we see members of the Indian media chasing former players from the host country - players whom even their own nation has almost forgotten - for an interview? It's almost as if validation about Indian cricket and its cricketers has to be obtained from overseasr players," Gavaskar explained.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team South Africa Cricket Team AB de Villiers Sunil Gavaskar Shreyas Iyer Cricket