India completed a 9-0 whitewash in Sri Lanka by winning the one-off T20I in Colombo on Wednesday. Team India outplayed Sri Lanka in all three departments of the game throughout the long tour and became the first ever team to whitewash Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. The visitors extended their winning run to nine straight matches against the hapless hosts.
However, team India is hosting the limited-overs series with Australia for 5 ODIs and 3 T20s starting from September 17, 2017. Thus, Indian squad has been announced.
Pacer Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami have been recalled while youngster Shardul Thakur has been dropped. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja again missed out from the charts, and middle order men Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina were once again ignored for a limited overs series.
The official twitter account of BCCI posted the details of the squad: “TEAM: Kohli (C), Rohit, Shikhar, Rahul, Pandey, Jadhav, Rahane, MSD, Hardik, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvi, Umesh, Shami #INDvAUS.”
TEAM: Kohli (C), Rohit, Shikhar, Rahul, Pandey, Jadhav, Rahane, MSD, Hardik, Axar, Kuldeep, Chahal, Bumrah, Bhuvi, Umesh, Shami #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/sC0UnBfDns
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 10, 2017
But Twitterati found something fishy about the 15-member Indian squad.
People started mocking the Indian skipper for excluding veterans like Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina who are good in limited-overs cricket. While others pointed out the inclusion of KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal. Kedar Jadhav as ‘RCB Quota’, as they are from RCB squad during the IPL.
Earlier when MS Dhoni was the Indian skipper, fans had criticized him for backing under fire Raina, Jadeja, Ashwin, Murali Vijay and Mohit Sharma too. Thus, The fans are not happy with the axing of some of the most followed cricketers and at the same time irked at the inclusion of the new comers.
Twitter Slams Virat Kohli And The Selectors:
Kohli is clearly favouring his failed RCB team mates Rahul and Jadhav over DK, Rahane and Pandey. #INDvsAUS
— Hasim (@lewdworn) September 10, 2017
Is this Indian Team or RCB?
— Durotan (@saiyan_speaks) September 11, 2017
Dhoni csk team banata tha kohli rcb team bana raha hain
— sumanta yuvi (@sumantajha7) September 10, 2017
Earlier CSK quota (ash jad raina) now RCB quota (chahal rahul jadhav) still No @DineshKarthik
— Boobalan Subramani (@ksboobalan27) September 10, 2017
We are making Indian Team or Team RCB.. Please stop such favouritism…
— Vikaas Verma (@Vikaas007) September 10, 2017
MSK Prasad, the chairman of Selectors was also criticized for dropping the match-winners, but he clarified all the rumors and allegations by saying that the players have been rested, keeping in mind of the rotational policy.
“The team for the three ODIs against Australia has been selected in line with the rotation policy of the Board and accordingly R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja have been rested. The team’s performance during the Sri Lanka tour was outstanding and players like Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal, who performed very well are being given an extended run and this will, in turn, supplement our approach, to build a strong reserve strength, as we prepare for forthcoming tours,” Prasad said.
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