Vinod Kambli lashes out at Indian selectors

Published - 24 May 2016, 15:29 IST | Updated - 24 May 2016, 15:29 IST

3 Min Read

Vinod Kambli, the former Indian middle-order batsman and a childhood friend of the Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar. In his school days, he shared an unbroken partnership of 664 with Sachin. Later on, he had represented India in 104 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 17 test matches with over 3000 international runs. He has almost scored 10000 runs in his first class career at an impressive average of 59.67. Kambli also holds the record of “quickest 1000 test runs” by an Indian. He took just 14 test innings to reach this feat.

17-man India team for the test series against West Indies in July has been announced on Monday by the selection panel led by Sandeep Patil. Vinod Kambli lost his cool after selectors did not pick Shreyas Iyer, Aditya Tare, Siddhesh Lad. These three were the key players for Mumbai, who won the Ranji trophy this season. Kambli took the social platform, Twitter to slam for the omission of these cricketers.

This is the team announced by BCCI:

#TeamIndia for #WIvInd Tests – @imVkohli to lead 17-member team pic.twitter.com/55oSfwp25R
— BCCI (@BCCI) May 23, 2016

Kambli was highly disappointed with the selection. Kambli said, “Tare, Iyer and Lad should have been given a chance as they have done well in domestic cricket.”

Tare,Shreyas Iyer. Lad . should have been given a chance as they have done well in domestic Cricket.
— VINOD KAMBLI (@vinodkambli349) May 23, 2016

The BCCI announced team has three Mumbai cricketers including Ajinkya Rahane, who is promoted to vice-captain’s position, Rohit Sharma and uncapped player Shardul Thakur. But Kambli wanted Shreyas Iyer and Tare to be in the squad.

Mumbai been Ranji champion only 1 player in the test team apart from Rohit n Rahane. What about shreyas Ayer n tare pic.twitter.com/JGsFtrCIdC
— VINOD KAMBLI (@vinodkambli349) May 23, 2016

Kambli said that the teams they have selected is “not digestible” and he said that, it is the reason why Jimmy Amaranth call them as “Jokers”

Selectors the Teams u have selected is simply not digestible.Thats why Jimmy Amaranth calls u all jokers pic.twitter.com/QxmGN6ymZq
— VINOD KAMBLI (@vinodkambli349) May 23, 2016

Kambli also questioned the inclusion of Cheteshwar Pujara, Wriddhiman Saha and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the Test team.

On what basis pujara jadeja saha walk in.Pujara n saha no performance In domestic.pls tell me selectors. Cont pic.twitter.com/HjsskP28uO
— VINOD KAMBLI (@vinodkambli349) May 23, 2016

These men have no idea.what kind of selection is this Test n 1 day.Test team.Pujara,Jadeja,Saha & 6 fast bowlers. pic.twitter.com/iAtGZixe2X
— VINOD KAMBLI (@vinodkambli349) May 23, 2016

The left-handed batsman also accused that the selectors are destroying the careers of these cricketers.

I am really pissed off the kind of selection is going on from the time I entered n departed from the team.They have destroyed careers
— VINOD KAMBLI (@vinodkambli349) May 23, 2016

And here is how some of the fans had replied to Kambli:

@vinodkambli349 Stop this Marathi manus hyppo..
Be an indian first..Say India first instead of jay maharastra
— hardik (@HarryK89215232) May 23, 2016

@vinodkambli349 dont see as an champion team… look othr players also with individual performance, mumbaikars supprt mumbai
— Goutham Kumar (@goutham_mariner) May 23, 2016