Is domestic performances no longer considered a criteria to get selected in the Indian team?

A couple of weeks ago, the BCCI announced the white ball squad for the New Zealand series and the squad for the first 2 test matches for the Border-Gavaskar series. 

Fans and cricket experts were not happy with the selection as there were many players who had been performing in the domestic circuit and did not get the opportunity to don the Indian colors.

Here are some facts - 

1. Suryakumar Yadav on the basis of his T20I form, has been selected for the first 2 Test matches ahead of Sarfaraz Khan, who has been the highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy since 2019. Suryakumar Yadav's career average in Ranji Trophy is 44.4 while Sarfaraz Khan's average in the Ranji trophy is 77.43.
2. Another instance of domestic cricket performance not getting rewarded is the exclusion of Narayan Jagadeesan, who had scored 5 tons including a 277 in the Vijay Hazare. KS Bharat was selected ahead of him, who did not have great numbers in the Vijay Hazare Trophy compared to Jagadeesan. These calls made by the selectors reduce the confidence of the players as their hard work and great performance is not being rewarded. 

Selectors are Mixing Formats 

The other problem of the selectors is mixing the formats for the players who have done well in one format, but getting selected in a different format. 

Suryakumar Yadav getting selected in tests on the basis of T20I performance, Prithvi Shaw getting selected in T20I based on his performance in Ranji Trophy, and Mukesh Kumar doing well in a red ball but getting selected for the T20I's against New Zealand. 

These mishaps in the selection make it difficult for the team to have a fixed playing XI before a major tournament and it leads to chopping and changing.

Selecting Players Based on Reputation 

The last selection problem the fans would hope would change is selecting players based on their reputation and not selecting the players based on their current form and performance.

The last T20I match Ravi Bishnoi played was in the 2022 Asia Cup. He had brilliant figures against Pakistan, taking 1 wicket in 4 overs for just 26 runs. But he has not played a T20I since. The team has chosen to stick with Yuzvendra Chahal, who has had brilliant performances previously but has not been that effective with the ball as of late.

India’s ODI squad against New Zealand: 

• Rohit Sharma (Captain)
• Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk)
• Virat Kohli
• Shreyas Iyer
• Suryakumar Yadav
• KS Bharat (wk)
• Hardik Pandya (vice-captain)
• Washington Sundar
• Shahbaz Ahmed
• Shardul Thakur
• Yuzvendra Chahal
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Mohammad. Shami
• Mohammad Siraj
• Umran Malik.

India’s T20I squad against New Zealand: 

• Hardik Pandya (Captain), 
• Suryakumar Yadav (vice-captain)
• Ishan Kishan (wk)
• Ruturaj Gaikwad
• Shubman Gill
• Deepak Hooda
• Rahul Tripathi
• Jitesh Sharma (wk)
• Washington Sundar
• Kuldeep Yadav
• Yuzvendra Chahal
• Arshdeep Singh
• Umran Malik
• Shivam Mavi
• Prithvi Shaw
• Mukesh Kumar

India’s Test squad for the first two Tests against Australia: 

• Rohit Sharma (Captain)
• KL Rahul (vice-captain)
• Shubman Gill
• Cheteshwar Pujara
• Virat Kohli
• Shreyas Iyer
• KS Bharat (wk)
• Ishan Kishan (wk)
• R. Ashwin
• Axar Patel
• Kuldeep Yadav
• *Ravindra Jadeja
• Mohammad Shami
• Mohammad Siraj
• Umesh Yadav
• Jaydev Unadkat
• Suryakumar Yadav.

*Ravindra Jadeja's inclusion in the squad is subject to fitness.

Fans will hope that the selectors fix these issues and the selection is done in a justified manner and India can finally break the streak of losing ICC trophies.

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