IND vs IRE: Saba Karim Feels Picking Players For ODIs Based On IPL, T20 Performances Is Wrong

Former India National Cricket Team wicketkeeper-batter and selector Saba Karim believes that picking players in the ODI team only on the basis of IPL and T20 cricket performances is completely wrong.

India’s squad for the Asia Cup 2023 will be selected in a few days and it won’t be an easy job for the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee as there are still doubts over the participation of key players – KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer.

Many have backed the inclusion of the 20-year-old batter Tilak Varma in the team in case Rahul and Iyer miss out on selection. Tilak has been a stellar performer for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL and he recently made his T20I debut against West Indies where he finished as India’s leading run-getter.

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Meanwhile, Saba Karim has urged the BCCI selection committee to have patience and avoid creating a Varun Chakravarthy-like situation. Notably, Varun was drafted into India’s T20 World Cup 2021 squad following a brilliant IPL season but was dropped just after the World Cup due to his poor performance.

“Absolutely (on fear of Varun-Chakravarthy-like situation). I agree completely. You have to be extremely patient and have the larger picture in mind when picking the final 15/18 for the Asia Cup. But then again, Asia Cup could provide the perfect platform. The selectors would want to pick their best 15 who could then jolly well find themselves in the World Cup squad,” Saba Karim was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

“So I would reckon, pick the top 15 whom they see will play in the World Cup and then pick the two additional players, that will be the rule for Asia Cup. In case Iyer and Rahul are not fit then they will pick a wicketkeeper and middle-order batter and one more each for the two slots to keep the option in hand,” Saba Karim added.

We often forget that players, whether Suryakumar or Tilak, do put in performances in domestic cricket – Saba Karim

Saba Karim further revealed that the players who perform well in domestic cricket always get the attention of selectors and those domestic numbers are also considered for selection.

“We often forget that players, whether Suryakumar or Tilak, do put in performances in domestic cricket in the one-day format for a long time. And if a player has performed well in the domestic circuit in the format, but doesn’t have the experience on an international level, although has put in good scores in T20I cricket then they do have the attention of the selectors.”

“So, both these factors are taken into consideration. But if they only look at performances in T20 cricket and IPL to pick a player for the ODI team, then that is wrong,” Saba Karim added.