Over the past few months, Indian cricket fans have been increasingly vocal with criticism aimed at Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar and Head Coach Gautam Gambhir. Our comment sections, social media discussions, and cricket forums are filled with concerns that several talented players have been mishandled, benched without reason, or ignored during crucial selections.

Much of this debate resurfaced after a detailed article in The Times of India, written by Saibal Malhotra, titled:

“How Ajit Agarkar Let Indian Cricket Down, One Talented Player at a Time.”

The article highlights allegations that Agarkar and the current selection committee have shown personal bias, pre-conceived notions, and inconsistent selection criteria — leading to the decline or stagnation of several talented Indian cricketers.

Below is a structured breakdown of the issues raised.

Table of Contents

Players Allegedly “Mishandled” by the Selection Committee

According to the TOI article, these players were treated differently or unfairly at various points:

Hardik Pandya
Shreyas Iyer
Ishan Kishan
Sarfaraz Khan
Abhimanyu Easwaran
Rinku Singh
Sanju Samson
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Mohammed Shami

And many more could be added to the list, according to the report.

The core allegations?
Bias-based decision making, uneven opportunities, benching without justification, and delayed call-ups for deserving players.

Case Studies of Questionable Selection Decisions

1. Hardik Pandya: Conveniently Removed From White-Ball Leadership?

At one point, fans fully expected Hardik Pandya to become India’s next T20I or ODI captain.
But instead, he was quietly removed from the leadership group.
The article suggests this was a deliberate and convenient exclusion.

2. Shreyas Iyer & Ishan Kishan: Punished for “Not Taking Domestic Cricket Seriously”?

Fans might remember both Iyer and Ishan being left out with the justification that they were not “serious about domestic cricket.”

However:

Ishan Kishan played everything — DY Patil T20, multi-day Bapoo Baji games, and almost every domestic fixture.
Still, he was ignored for the West Indies tour, the Test squad, and even the South Africa ODI series, where discussions featured his name prominently.

Despite scoring a double hundred in ODIs, he was excluded — while Dhruv Jurel, who has never played that format, was included as the third wicketkeeper.

3. Sarfaraz Khan: The “Unsolved Mystery”

Sarfaraz’s call-up to the senior team was delayed again and again despite:

monstrous domestic numbers
consistent red-ball performances

Even today, the reason behind his delayed entry into the national side remains an unsolved mystery.

4. Abhimanyu Easwaran: Taken on Overseas Tours Just to Warm the Bench

Easwaran has been:

taken on multiple overseas Test tours
made to warm the bench for months
given almost zero playing time

The report suggests his career was stalled rather than supported.

5. Rinku Singh: Tagged as a “T20 Specialist”

Despite having:

strong List A numbers
a solid first-class record

Rinku Singh has been boxed into a T20-only label.
Even after performing consistently, he has not been given steady game time.

6. Sanju Samson: In and Out Without Logic

Sanju’s journey has been chaotic:

included, then dropped
brought back, then benched
shifted around batting orders

Even after scoring a match-winning century, he was not given consistent chances.

7. Ruturaj Gaikwad: A Classic Example of Underutilisation

Despite strong domestic performances, Gaikwad has rarely been given consistent opportunities with the senior team.

8. Mohammed Shami: A Veteran Wrongly Judged?

Everyone knows Shami continues to perform at the highest level for Bengal.
Yet Agarkar publicly stated Shami “hasn’t played enough matches.”

This contradicts:

Shami’s domestic workload
his consistent availability
his long history of managing workload for India

Some reports even suggest Shami’s outspoken moments may have contributed to selection coldness.

Ishan Kishan’s Mental Health & Burnout Angle

When asked why he needed a break, Ishan openly said:

too much nonstop travel
mostly sitting on the bench
mental fatigue building up

This was used against him later, leading fans to believe he was unfairly judged for prioritizing mental health.

Shreyas Iyer: From World Cup Hero to Central Contract Removal

Shreyas:

played a crucial role in India reaching the 2023 ODI World Cup final
suffered back issues
skipped a domestic game for recovery

The result?
He was removed from the central contract.

This raised massive questions about fairness, especially when:

he led KKR to an IPL title
performed brilliantly in domestic cricket & the Champions Trophy
earned a major IPL deal with PBKS

Yet he was overlooked for Asia Cup selection as well.

Agarkar’s justification?
“There was no place for him even as a standby.”
This only intensified backlash.

Reports even suggest tension between Agarkar and Shreyas.

The Larger Problem: Inconsistency, Bias, and “Different Rules for Different Players”

According to the TOI article, the selection committee under Agarkar is accused of:

applying different standards for different players
using personal bias
having pre-decided opinions
lacking transparent criteria

Even as criticism grows louder, the committee continues operating in the same manner.

Conclusion: A System in Question

Whether one agrees with the TOI article or not, one thing is clear:

Fans are frustrated.
Many talented players seem to have been mishandled.
Selection decisions feel inconsistent, unclear, and at times biased.

And despite the massive backlash, the selection committee appears determined to continue with its own approach — unchanged and unapologetic.

How Ajit Agarkar “Let Indian Cricket Down”