Former India skipper Kris Srikkanth is known for his blunt statements, and he recently expressed his disappointment with the selectors. He wasn’t happy with Vipraj Nigam being sent to the Asian Games and also questioned handing out the debut cap to Yash Thakur recently.
Vipraj replaced Varun Chakrabortywho was injured during the first T20I vs Afghanistan in Delhi. Speaking about the selection, the 66-year-old said, “How did Nigam get into the Indian squad from nowhere, and on what basis was he picked? Is he so good that he can be picked as a replacement for Varun?”
1983 World Cup winner added, “You cannot give the national cap like this to everyone. It is as good as buying it from a shop.”
The 22-year-old leg-spinner has played a total of 33 T20 games and picked up 34 wickets at an economy rate of 8.4 runs. It is unlikely he will play in Japan with Ravi Bishnoi also in the side, and the latter also did well in the recent series against the Afghans.
Srikkanth also questioned the selection panel for overlooking the RCB trio of Rajat PatidarBhuvneshwar Kumar, and Krunal Pandya. All three players were superb in 2025 and 2026, and led their side to two consecutive titles.
“What wrong have these three players done? Some of the decisions taken are surprising, and age alone cannot be a deciding factor. It seems to be the case with Kumar and Pandya. One has to see the capabilities of players and their performances.”
Legendary batter questions Yash Thakur’s debut
The 27-year-old Yash Thakur made his India debut during the tour of Zimbabwe in July this year. The right-arm pacer replaced Harshit Rana, who was ruled out of the T20I series. Thakur played the final game and picked up one wicket for 17 runs.
“How can a random player like him wear the Indian cap? And if Yash is getting the national cap, then it is a signal that the debut cap can be handed to anybody, which is not a good sign. There has to be some credibility, talent, and good performances in domestic cricket before considering a player. It is an injustice to players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar.”