Sunil Gavaskar hits out: ‘Focus on your country’s cricket, let us worry about ours’ | Cricket News – Times of India

Sunil Gavaskar has strongly criticized foreigners for commenting on India’s choice debates and requested them to focus on their very own cricket (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Sunil Gavaskar has taken robust stand to abroad cricketers commenting on India’s crew choice, particularly within the wake of Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Asia Cup squad. The former India captain questioned why overseas voices felt the necessity to move judgement on selections taken by Indian selectors. “What is baffling is foreigners who have zero stake in Indian cricket, and much less knowledge about it, wading into the debate and 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,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. Iyer, who not too long ago led Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 last after captaining Kolkata Knight Riders to the title a yr earlier, was not noted of the Asia Cup squad. His omission got here regardless of being in competition for a center-order function, with Shubman Gill securing a spot as a substitute. The choice triggered sharp reactions, notably in the direction of chief selector Ajit Agarkar.

While criticism from Indian voices was anticipated, Gavaskar was clear in his stance that outsiders ought to chorus from weighing in. “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. 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?” he wrote. Though Gavaskar avoided naming people, his remarks come at a time when there have been current observations made by Brad Haddin and AB de Villiers. Haddin, who labored with Iyer at Punjab Kings earlier this yr, admitted he was “surprised” by the omission, saying, “I thought he was injured.” De Villiers too hinted at “closed-door happenings” behind the choice, although his tone was measured. Gavaskar went a step additional, suggesting that some of these feedback had been made to draw consideration on-line. “Today, in the days of public media, where getting views and followers is the theme, one of the fastest ways to increase the numbers is by commenting on matters Indian. And mostly, they do it negatively, so there is a huge reaction from Indian keyboard users, which in turn boosts their follower count,” he noticed.

He additionally pointed a finger at Indian media for amplifying such voices. “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 overseas players,” Gavaskar concluded.