Ravichandran Ashwin Highlights Challenges of Being a Selector
Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed empathy for Ajit Agarkar, the chairman of the BCCI selection committee, amid debates over player exclusions from the Champions Trophy squad. The omission of consistent performers like Sanju Samson, Karun Nair, and Ruturaj Gaikwad has sparked criticism, putting Agarkar in a tough spot.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin acknowledged the challenge of managing India's pool of talented batters and admitted he wouldn’t want to be in Agarkar’s position. “Players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was part of the World Cup squad, deserve to return to T20Is as a preferred opener. But when stars like Gill and Ruturaj also perform well in the IPL, it creates a selection headache,” he said.
Ashwin stressed the importance of prioritizing players who excel under pressure, especially in big tournaments. “Going forward, selectors need to focus on how players perform in crunch situations. In modern cricket, talent is abundant, but it’s critical to identify those who can handle high-pressure scenarios,” he explained.
He also suggested developing a framework to evaluate players based on their ability to thrive under pressure, adding that it would help streamline selections for key tournaments in the future.