Ravi Shastri’s suggestion to include three left-handed players in India’s starting 11 receives a response from Gautam Gambhir. Various suggestions and opinions from experts and cricket enthusiasts have been sparked by the discussion surrounding team selection for the ICC World Cup and Asia Cup 2023. Former Indian cricket team head coach Ravi Shastri’s suggestion was one of the more notable ones.
Shastri advised the playing XI to include at least three left-handed batters in the top seven positions. He suggested adding another left-handed batter to the batting order and emphasised the significance of keeping Ishan Kishan and Ravindra Jadeja on the team.
“There are three other positions that I believe require the addition of two left-handers. If Ishan Kishan is going to keep wickets and you have stuck with him for the last six to eight months, you should still bring him in. Get two left-handers, though. Three left-handers, including Jaddu, should be in the top seven, Shastri said on a Star Sports programme.
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Gautam Gambhir, a former opener for the Indian cricket team, has expressed a different opinion, rejecting the idea of three left-handed batters competing in international competitions. He didn’t mention Shastri by name, but it was obvious that his remarks were in response to what Shastri had suggested.
According to Gambhir, a player’s form and intent should be given more weight when choosing a team for important events like the Asia Cup and the World Cup 2023 than their batting hand. In other words, the primary criterion for selection should be a batter’s ability to consistently score runs and effectively contribute to the team’s success.
“Whether he bats with his left or right hand is unimportant. The argument being made that we require three left-handers is completely unfounded.
He added that there is no urgent need to prioritise left-handed batters if players like right-handed batters Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul are consistently performing and meeting the team’s requirements.
“So pick them if Iyer plays well or Rahul scores runs. If left-handers are not in form, there is no need to select them. This left-hander debate didn’t need to even be started, in my opinion. Yashasvi Jaiswal is available if left-handers are what you’re looking for. You should always focus on form and quality rather than quantity, the southpaw said.
