'Jo nahi hota na…' - Ishant Sharma calls out the reality of selection in Indian cricket

In recent times, there has been a lot of buzz around team selection. Be it the Asia Cup T20 squad, where players like Shreyas Iyer or Yashasvi Jaiswal didn’t make the cut, or the recent India vs Australia series, chief selector Ajit Agarkar has often found himself under the fans’ scrutiny.

In a candid podcast with Raj Shamani, veteran pacer Ishant Sharma shared his take on this ongoing debate. “There’s always a lot of talk around players like Shreyas Iyer not being picked, but the real question is — kiski jagah daalte?” Ishant said. “Either you ask the ICC to allow a 20-member squad instead of 15 because India has so much talent. It’s very difficult to make people understand. Yes, you might be a fan of an individual, but the most thankless job in cricket is that of a selector.”


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He explained that selection is a balancing act where every choice has consequences. “If they pick one player, he’s good in the eyes of fans, but the one who isn’t picked suddenly makes the selectors look bad. I’m not saying anything against Shreyas — he’s a class player, no doubt — but it’s a question of balance.”

Ishant also drew parallels with other players who missed out despite strong performances. “Take Rishabh Pant in T20s — who can replace him? Or KL Rahul, who had a strong IPL but didn’t make the T20 squad. If Rahul was picked, maybe Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson or someone else wouldn’t have been. That’s the reality. Jo nahi hote na, unki hi sabse zyada baat hoti hai. (The ones not selected will always be talked about more than the ones who are.)”

His words shed light on the tough realities behind India’s selection process, where overflowing talent meets limited opportunities.

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