Agarkar shows no mercy towards 'shameful' Ishan and Ruturaj snub as 'Gambhir influence' suspected in India squad selection

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Bangladesh at home. Mayank Yadav, who impressed with his explosive batting in IPL 2024, has earned his maiden India call-up. Meanwhile, mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy, who last played for India in a T20I match in 2021, has been recalled following his strong performance in the last IPL season for Kolkata Knight Riders.

Overall, BCCI named a rather fresh squad, led by Suryakumar Yadav, with the likes of Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel and Mohammed Siraj rested keeping in mind the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand later next month. However, it does comprise of a few other regulars in Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh, Ravi Bishnoi and Arshdeep Singh.

However, despite BCCI forming a new-look side, probably with the aim at testing the depth of the Indian team, fans on social media were not happy with the Ajit Agarkar-led side over ignoring Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad, both of whom put on an impressive show in the recently-concluded Duleep Trophy campaign earlier this month, and could have been a deserving fit in the line-up given that BCCI picked just one specialist opener in Abhishek Sharma.

Ishan, who last featured in the Indian jersey in December 2023 and later lost his BCCI central contract over not following a board mandate, returned to red-ball cricket with a century in the Buchi Babu tournament last month, before smashing 111 for India C in Duleep Trophy, which instantly sparked hopes among fans of a possible return to the Indian squad the T20I series against Bangladesh, especially amid a report indicating that the selectors would rest Pant for the contest. Gaikwad, who scored 77* and 49 in the T20I series in Zimbabwe in July, smashed 232 runs in the Duleep Trophy for India C, laced with two fifties. However, he was left out as well, leaving fans enraged.

Fans on social media also highlighted a possible "Gautam Gambhir influence" in the squad announcement with Chakravarthy making a return to the Indian squad after three years. He was the highest wicket-taker for KKR, which was mentored by Gambhir in IPL 2024 before he left the job to join the Indian team as the head coach, picking 21 wickets in 14 innings, second-most by a bowler in IPL 2024.

Moreover, the squad also features Harshit Rana, another KKR bowler, who picked 19 wickets in 13 matches, and Mayank, who worked under Gambhir when the former India opener was the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants last year.

The three-match T20I series will be played on October 6, 9 and 12 in Gwalior, Delhi and Hyderabad respectively.