Former India cricketer criticizes Ajit Agarkar over squad selection for England tour

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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced India’s T20I squads for the highly anticipated upcoming tours of Ireland and England, alongside the roster for the Asian Games 2026. While the selections feature several exciting prospects, one specific inclusion has ignited a massive debate in the cricketing fraternity. Pacer Harshit Rana has been named in all three squads despite a lengthy injury layoff that kept him out of competitive action for months. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from experts who question the consistency of the current selection committee’s policies.

Former India opening batter Sadagoppan Ramesh did not hold back his frustration, openly criticizing the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee for what he perceives as blatant favouritism and a breach of established protocols. Rana, who was slated to be a crucial part of India‘s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, suffered a severe knee injury during a warm-up match. The injury required major knee surgery, forcing him to miss not only the World Cup but also the entirety of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.

Ramesh pointed out that picking a player straight out of rehab without a single over of competitive match fitness sends a demoralizing message to other hardworking domestic cricketers and seasoned veterans waiting in the wings. Taking to his Instagram handle, Ramesh voiced his concerns over how this impacts the mindset of seasoned pacers like Mohammed Shami, who have historically been subjected to rigorous fitness tests.

“How have you selected Harshit Rana? I don’t think he has played any domestic cricket after knee surgery. Nobody knows the answer to this. Just imagine Shami’s mind voice now, or even the others’ mind voice,” Ramesh stated.

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The core of the controversy lies in the apparent double standard regarding injury rehabilitation and national recall. Over the last few years, the BCCI and the Indian team management have strictly maintained that any player returning from a long-term injury must prove their match fitness and form in domestic tournaments like the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, or Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before wearing the national colors again.

Ramesh highlighted several high-profile instances where even the absolute superstars of Indian cricket had to comply with these guidelines. Icons like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been expected to align with domestic red-ball or white-ball matches to regain their rhythm. Similarly, when premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya faced injury setbacks, he was mandated to show full fitness before selection.

The contrast becomes even starker when looking at recent directives given to other core players. Current T20I captain Shreyas Iyer was explicitly asked to grind it out in the Vijay Hazare Trophy to prove his readiness before the New Zealand ODI series. Meanwhile, selectors heavily scrutinized Mohammed Shami‘s ability to bowl long, intense spells post-injury, demanding a proven track record in domestic matches first. By bypassing these exact protocols for Rana, critics argue that Agarkar’s committee risks creating a divide in the dressing room and undermining the value of India’s domestic cricket structure.

Also READ: Chief selector Ajit Agarkar details the reasons for including Vaibhav Suryavanshi in India’s T20I setup