Wassup, everybody? Are you ready for another State of Cricket podcast episode because I know we are! We have our second guest of the year already, a filmmaker by the name of Rohit N. Kulkarni. He is Known for his cricket documentary Pitch of Dreams: Cricket in America. Today’s topic will be what does a player have to do to make the 15-man roster cut for the Indian national team. Let’s go to our crew to see their takes!

Right now, it looks like there are three such requirements: 1. Being “slim and trim”, 2. Knowing people or having connections in the BCCI and/or the senior members of the team already, and 3. Having a strong social media following. Sunil Gavaskar recently lashed out at selectors for only picking/looking at “slim and trim” guys, suggesting that they should go to a fashion show instead. This was in response to Sarfaraz Khan being snubbed from the Indian team selection for the India-Australia series. One key thing that was mentioned that I will argue in disclaimer #2 is that Sarfaraz’s stats, while they speak for themselves, may not convert for team India as opposed to Ranji Trophy opposition.

Once upon a time, when Mumbai was a Ranji Trophy powerhouse, it wasn’t surprising to see Mumbai domestic cricket players enter the Indian team*. Nowadays, the squad’s shortcomings don’t help someone like Sarfaraz out as much. Also, apparently, 25 is too old… go figure! One of our members feels like he’s missed the boat to an Indian team selection. Strategy is one of the main reasons domestic players don’t seem to make the Indian side anymore. Who do you replace? There’s a glut of players already playing in the same position as you, so you have to do something to really stand out among the crowd in order to jump the line*. 

Another issue is the selection committee not necessarily wanting to give their captains even more power, so some deserving names who the captain thinks should be in the squad don’t end up making it. Sarfaraz looks doomed to be the modern version of Amol Muzumdar, which is pretty much what we discussed. Temperament/behavior is another thing to make sure you as a player are on the right side of. In addition, we discuss player fitness, the quota system, and players such as Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma needing to go back to domestic cricket and play Ranji Trophy matches.

*Disclaimer #1: Ok, now these requirements are obviously not what selectors should be following. It was said in a sarcastic way because that’s how it looks to us fans on the outside. It seems like actual skills and statistics to back up those skills are being overlooked by Indian national selectors.*

*Disclaimer #2: This is the direct opposite of something we mentioned in episode 123. Sure, we will never know if the domestic stats will actually convert on the national level but that is how we felt selections should be made. Better domestic cricket performances overall instead of just one specific league. If Sarfaraz’s Ranji stats aren’t enough, per se, then how else are we supposed to judge him?*

*Disclaimer #3: As a fan of the Bengal domestic team, it was stuff like this in the past that pissed me off… Why should only the best players from the most popular states only make it to the national team? Why could more selectors not look for talent on a widespread basis instead of just focusing on the powerhouses? I just continue to dream of the next Sourav Ganguly to make a statement in the Indian national team… I’ll even be happy to see an actual Bengali even making his senior team debut… By actual Bengali, I mean players who were born and brought up in the state of West Bengal, not players from outside states who represent the side like Shahbaz Ahmed and Abhimanyu Easwaran.*

*Writer’s note #1: If someone like Sarfaraz wants to make the Indian team, he could work on his wicket-keeping skills maybe. Rishabh Pant being out of the Delhi Capitals this year opens up the opportunity for a part-time keeper like Sarfaraz to put his name among the mix of possible Indian keepers. 

If you are interested in the rest of the conversation, please check out the links below: