IND vs NZ 2026: Kris Srikkanth accuses Gautam Gambhir of favouritism to bring in Ayush Badoni

Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has voiced strong criticism over the selection of Ayush Badoni in India’s squad for the remaining two One-Day Internationals of the ongoing three-match series New Zealand, accusing the head coach Gautam Gambhir of favouritism to bring in someone from Delhi.

Following the opening match in Vadodara where the Men in Blue won by four wickets, all-rounder Washington Sundar was ruled out of the series due to a rib injury, which he sustained in the first half of the match. The team management subsequently named Badoni as Sundar’s replacement for the final two matches, which Srikkanth feels is heavily influenced by Gambhir.

The 1983 World Cup-winner shed light on Badoni’s association with Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League, where India head coach Gautam Gambhir previously served as mentor. He questioned whether the decision was influenced by familiarity rather than performance.

“What kind of door is this? Bring two or three trucks, take them, and go through and break the door. Really, I don’t understand what it is. Out of Axar, Badoni, Nitish Reddy, and Gaikwad, which two must really be in the team? Badoni played at LSG, and Gambhir was the mentor there. I don’t see any other reason,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel Cheeky Cheeka.

Sitanshu Kotak breaks silence on Ayush Badoni's ODI call-up

Also Read

Sitanshu Kotak breaks silence on Ayush Badoni's ODI call-up

Badoni was representing Delhi in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 when he received his maiden India call-up. Srikkanth further questioned Badoni’s credentials as an all-rounder, comparing his recent numbers with those of Axar Patel, whom he felt should have been the natural replacement. 

“Ayush Badoni, with this performance, [had] no chance. What is his track record in the IPL also? IPL and one-day cricket are different. He has not done anything great. He is not a guy who can take the match away from you. Can he come at number six and hit sixes also? I don't understand. What rubbish is this? How is he considered a bowling all-rounder? the former India opener questioned.

"If an all-rounder is missing, why not bring in Axar Patel? He is a genuine all-rounder in all formats. Axar Patel has also done well. So I don't understand this. Axar is a successful and proven all-rounder. You are leaving him and picking Badoni. I do not understand this selection. I don't know what is going on. This is absolutely unfair. Look at Axar's recent performances. There is so much contrast. He has done everything. He should have been an automatic choice,” he added.

For the unversed, Axar scored 75 runs in his last ODI series in two innings and claimed three wickets, in addition to registering strong performances in domestic cricket. The Gujarat cricketer played two matches in Vijay Hazare Trophy for his state and scored 130 against Andhra Pradesh alongside picking two wickets for 27 runs. He also impressed in his second round-game outing by scoring 73 against Odisha.

Meanwhile, the Delhi cricketer has scored only 16 runs from three innings at an average of 8.00 and picked up four wickets from 22 overs in the 50-over competition. In the IPL, he has accumulated 963 runs from 56 matches at an average of 26.75 with a strike rate of 138.56, along with four wickets.