Former Indian cricketer turned commentator Gautam Gambhir has labelled the MSK Prasad-led Indian selection committee for the 2019 World Cup as “the worst selection committee in the history of Indian cricket".
Gambhir's criticism of the 2019 selection committee was for Ambati Rayudu’s omission from the World Cup squad, a move that left many cricket enthusiasts perplexed. Rayudu who had been a consistent performer at No.4 for the Indian team was left out of the World Cup squad unreasonably.
During the live commentary on Disney+Hotstar, Star Sports in the ongoing India vs. New Zealand match, Gambhir stated, "My belief is that in the history of cricket, India had the worst selection committee. The reason for this was their decision to drop a batsman like Ambati Rayudu and not include him in the World Cup. Instead, they chose another batsman when their primary concern was the No. 4 position. So, when you have such a thinking and a mindset like this within the selection committee, we can discuss the management's fault. However, they received their sources from the selectors. They had Ambati Rayudu play throughout the year, only to drop him just before the World Cup,” he added.
Gautam Gambhir's claim that "no one knows the reason behind this" emphasises the lack of transparency surrounding the decision to leave Rayudu out of the World Cup squad, a circumstance that further exacerbated the commotion and discussion within the cricketing world.
“And no one really knows the reason or what the communication was. Hence, the chairman bears the most significant responsibility in this matter. I don't recall who the chairman was at that time, but the responsibility rested with him," he concluded.
India’s World Cup campaign in 2019 ended with a semifinal defeat to New Zealand.