Gautam Gambhir, Suryakumar Yadav Blasted For Selection Call By England Great: "So Many Scientists"
Former England cricket team skipper Michael Vaughan blasted the Indian team management for their selection call following the 76-run loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match.
- Michael Vaughan blasted the Indian team management for their selection call against South Africa
- He demanded accountability for the selection decision and questioned the thinking of the team management
- "There are so many analysts, there are so many scientists - too many brains," said Vaughan
Former England cricket team skipper Michael Vaughan blasted the Indian team management for their selection call following the 76-run loss to South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match on Sunday. India decided not to bring back vice-captain Axar Patel and instead went with Washington Sundar - a move even skipper Suryakumar Yadav called "very harsh" on the former. Vaughan demanded accountability for the selection decision and questioned the thinking of the team management. Washington conceded 17 runs in 2 overs and was dismissed after scoring 11 off 11 balls. Vaughan even hinted that India had "overcomplicated" their decisions ahead of the crucial match.
"There are so many in the backroom. There are so many analysts, there are so many scientists - too many brains - and sometimes the brains overcomplicate life. When you've been winning, playing well, and Axar has been doing great..." Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.
"I want to know the person who was around that board meeting and went, 'I think we should play Washington Sundar,'" he added.
Meanwhile, India assistant coach Ryan Ten Doeschate and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak asserted that the decision was born purely out of tactical compulsions.
India lost to South Africa by 76 runs, and a rusty Washington Sundar's complete flop show with both bat and ball and being put on the park at the expense of senior player Axar has raised questions whether only one man in the team management is taking all tactical calls, including the questionable ones.
“Yeah, we spent so much time deliberating about the eleven over the last couple of days. We were kind of looking at match-ups more in the middle. In hindsight it looks like the right decision (to play Axar), but at the time we felt we needed Rinku as an eighth batter. The decision was based around there," the straight-talking Ten Doeschate replied to a query from the PTI during the post-match press conference.
He repeatedly stressed that the decision isn't a reflection of how Axar is perceived in the team or whether the vice-captain is dispensable.
"It's certainly not to take anything away from Axar and his leadership and how important he is to the team,” Ten Doeschate said.
(With agency inputs)
Axar Patel