'Three Left-Handers Is Useless...', Gautam Gambhir On Tilak Varma's Selection In Team India's Asia Cup 2023 Squad

Former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has challenged the idea put forth by ex-head coach Ravi Shastri to include three left-handers in the squads for the Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup. Gambhir stressed the importance of selecting players based on their form rather than their batting hand preference.

Gautam Gambhir said, "it's not important whether the batter is a left or a right hander. The debate going on that we need 3 lefties in the XI is a completely useless thought". pic.twitter.com/ZxFE402ARM

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 22, 2023

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During an appearance on Star Sports' Selection Day show, Gambhir expressed his views, stating that if a player like Tilak Varma has been chosen, he should be given opportunities to play. Gambhir emphasized the significance of form in team selection, stating, "This debate about who is a left-hander or a right-hander or whether we need three left-handers is a useless debate. We look at quality, we do not look to see how many left-handers are in the squad."

Gambhir continued, asserting that the key criteria for selection should be a player's performance in various conditions against different bowlers. He argued that the focus should be on a batsman's quality rather than their handedness, citing examples like Yashasvi Jaiswal and other left-handers. In his view, quality should take precedence over quantity in squad selection.

India has named a 17-member squad for the Asia Cup, including Shreyas Iyer, K.L Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma, a young left-handed middle-order batsman who received his maiden ODI call-up.

Gambhir offered valuable insights into the selection process for tournaments like the Asia Cup and the World Cup. He stressed that form and impact should be the primary considerations when assembling a winning squad, rather than relying on players' reputations or predetermined positions.

Regarding the World Cup, Gambhir emphasized that there are no front-runners for positions, and players in good form should be prioritized. He pointed out that the World Cup is a rare event, occurring once every four years, and that the best-performing players should be given a chance, irrespective of their reputation.

Gambhir also emphasized the need for Shreyas Iyer and K.L Rahul to accumulate runs to secure their spots in the World Cup squad. He suggested that players like Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma could potentially replace them if they fail to perform.