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Former cricketer Harbhajan Singh launched a scathing tirade on the Indian management for the team selection during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy. In a video on his YouTube channel, Harbhajan also urged the Indian team to select players based on performance and not their stature for the England Test tour.
The Indian cricket team was stunned when debutant Beau Webster found the boundary rope in style, bringing the BGT back to Australia after 10 years. The series ended 3-1, with India left with some major questions to address. In the final chapter of the series in Sydney, questions were raised about India's team selection after the first view of the pitch was revealed. The SCG strip was completely covered in grass. Even when the cracks appeared, plenty was on offer for the speedsters and hardly anything for the ball tweakers. On such a surface, India decided to rely on Sydney's history and name two spinners in its playing XI. The decision came under scrutiny when Jasprit Bumrah suffered from back spasms and couldn't continue to handle his duties with the ball. The entire pressure of defending the modest 162-run target fell on the shoulders of Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, who was playing his first Test in the series. "How was selection done? Was there any point in playing two spinners in Sydney on this pitch where they didn't even bowl? So, to extend your batting, you added spinners because they can bat. But you didn't see if there was another good seamer, things could have been better. They are stuck to stubbornness. This is not the T20 format. Test cricket is played differently," Harbhajan said on his YouTube channel. Out of two spinning all-rounders, Ravindra Jadeja bowled just three overs in the match, while Washington Sundar bowled just one over at the end of the second innings. The criticism wasn't limited to the combination of the team. The presence of two misfiring experienced stars was the talking point throughout the entire series. Indian stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma fell under the radar of criticism due to the lack of runs they offered with the bat across the five Tests. As the world witnessed the two modern-day giants fall when the team needed them the most, questions were raised about their place in the Test side. Harbhajan urged management to select players based on their performances. According to him, in a scenario where selectors decide to stick to senior players for the next Test tour in England, senior players should play county cricket before the series. "The selection should be based on the performance, whether Virat or Rohit. No player is bigger than the game, even if they think they are superstars in their minds. If you want to take senior players on tour, you have to make sure they play county cricket before the England series," he added. Kohli managed just 190 runs at an average of 23.75 in eight innings, with Scott Boland dismissing him four times. On the other hand, Rohit could muster up 31 runs across three Tests in the series. (ANI)
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