Intro
Former India captain urges selectors to reward domestic performers consistently.
New Delhi
Former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin has questioned the exclusion of Shubman Gill from India’s T20 setup and expressed disappointment over the continued omission of domestic performers Sarfaraz Khan and Auqib Nabi from the national Test team.
Speaking on the current selection policies, Azharuddin said Gill has proved his worth across formats and should not have been left out of India’s T20 plans. The stylish batter, who currently leads India in Tests and One-Day Internationals, was dropped from the T20I squad ahead of this year’s T20 World Cup despite serving as vice-captain in the format.
“Gill is handling the captaincy role very well. His individual performance has improved significantly, and he is one of the finest players in the country,” Azharuddin said. “I do not understand why he is not being selected for T20 cricket. He is a player for all formats and should never have been dropped from any format.”
The former skipper also raised concerns about the treatment of players who consistently excel in domestic cricket but fail to receive national opportunities. He cited Sarfaraz Khan and Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi as examples.
Azharuddin praised Nabi’s red-ball credentials, highlighting his impressive Ranji Trophy record over the last two seasons. Nabi claimed 44 wickets in the 2024-25 season and followed it up with 60 wickets in 2025-26, yet remains outside the Test squad.
“It is disappointing when players perform year after year and still do not get recognition,” Azharuddin said. “Everyone says domestic cricket is important, but what is the use if performances are not rewarded?”
He stressed that Nabi’s strengths lie in the longer format and urged selectors to identify specialists rather than judge players solely on white-ball performances.
Azharuddin also called for greater emphasis on Test cricket, describing it as the ultimate examination of a cricketer’s skills and adaptability.
On leadership matters, he backed Shreyas Iyer to succeed as India’s T20 captain, citing his strong cricketing acumen and leadership qualities. However, he supported the selectors’ decision to move on from Suryakumar Yadav despite his World Cup-winning captaincy, insisting that consistent performances must remain the primary selection criterion.
Regarding veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, Azharuddin said retirement decisions should remain a personal choice and that both players deserve immense respect for their contributions to Indian cricket.
