Agarkar Highlights Leadership Traits in Gill's Selection
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Synopsis
Ajit Agarkar, India's chief selector, stated that Shubman Gill's role as vice-captain for the ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy was chosen to identify players with leadership qualities. The discussions also touched upon Karun Nair's impressive Vijay Hazare Trophy performance and Rohit Sharma's relationship with coach Gautam Gambhir amidst team dynamics.
Key Takeaways
- Ajit Agarkar seeks leadership traits in players.
- Shubman Gill has a strong ODI record.
- Karun Nair's performance noted but not enough for selection.
- Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir maintain clear communication.
- Team dynamics are crucial post-Test series loss.
Mumbai, Jan 18 (NationPress) India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar emphasized that the choice to appoint Shubman Gill as the vice-captain for the upcoming ODIs against England and the Champions Trophy was driven by the need for individuals who exhibit leadership qualities.
At just 25, Gill has scored 2328 runs in 47 ODIs with an impressive average of 58.20, which includes six centuries and 13 fifties. “Gill was already serving as vice-captain in Sri Lanka; I wouldn't overanalyze this decision. Much of the input comes from within the dressing room. It's crucial to keep our options flexible,” Agarkar stated.
“One significant challenge is that few players currently lead their state teams... however, we are constantly searching for anyone demonstrating leadership abilities,” he noted during the press conference after announcing the squad.
Despite Karun Nair's remarkable performance of 752 runs in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy, he did not make a return to the national 50-over team. Agarkar mentioned that Nair's name was certainly part of the discussions in the selection committee meeting.
“These performances are exceptional, and averaging over 700 or 750+ is noteworthy. We did deliberate on it when such performances occur. However, securing a place in this team is quite challenging at present,” he added.
“Take a look at the players selected; all have averages exceeding mid-40s. Unfortunately, not everyone can be included. With a squad of 15, those standout performances certainly capture attention,” he elaborated.
On another note, captain Rohit Sharma asserted that he shares a clear understanding with head coach Gautam Gambhir, amidst speculations regarding dissatisfaction in the dressing room following the 3-1 Test series loss in Australia.
“Both of us have a mutual clarity regarding our objectives. I won’t delve into tactical discussions behind the scenes for every game. However, my vision is unambiguous. Gambhir trusts my decisions on the field once we step onto it,” he explained.
“The fundamental discussions occur off the field. When we are on the ground or in the changing room, the focus shifts to my actions during the match. That’s the trust we maintain in each other, and it’s how it should be,” he concluded.
