Harbhajan Singh on Asia Cup selection: ‘Different rules for different people’

Harbhajan Singh on Asia Cup selection: Former Indian spinner has disapproved of the selection policy for the Asia Cup.

Harbhajan Singh, India’s second-highest wicket-taker (711) across all formats, has found faults with the selection committee not picking an in-form Mayank Agarwal in the Indian team for the upcoming Asia Cup to be held in UAE. Perhaps, in the form of his life, Agarwal was in contention to be selected but missed out on it eventually.

Right from the start of the previous domestic season, Agarwal has been belting runs across formats at will. His golden spree also continued in the recently concluded tour of England (where he had opened the batting for India A) and the quadrangular series held back home.

Highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy last year, Agarwal had amassed 1,160 runs in 13 innings at an astounding average of 105.45 and a strike rate of 68.80. In the eight innings that he played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Agarwal had scored 723 runs (highest runs in one season) at an average of 90.37 and a strike rate of 107.91. A total of eight centuries across the two tournaments were evident of the fact that Agarwal has it in him to adjust well across formats.

To sum up the season for him, he had accumulated 2,141 runs across the three formats, making him the highest run-scorer ever in an Indian domestic season. Despite that, the 27-year old right-hand batsman has been overlooked at least twice (once in Nidahas Trophy help earlier this year) now.

Citing the same facts in mind, Harbhajan criticized the selectors, questioning their strategy of picking players. It is not the first time that Harbhajan has been vocal against the selectors. He has earlier also shared his views on matters either on TV shows or on a social media platform.

Taking to his Twitter account for this matter, Harbhajan Singh openly questioned the absence of Agarwal from the national team. Here is his tweet: