The sting of exclusion

The clock struck quarter past four. About six television channels simultaneously telecast live the announcement of Team India's 15-man provisional squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in June. This, at a time when the fervour of Lok Sabha general elections is engulfing the entire nation.

Needless to say, the pervasive influence of cricket manifests in the ordinary act of squad announcements, transforming it into a captivating spectacle.

"Chacha, World Cup ka sapna bhul jaao. Iss baar bhi samjho hamare haat se gaya (Uncle, give up on your hopes of seeing India win the World Cup. It is out of our reach now)," a resounding voice pierced through the air. "Koi baat nahi beta, bharosa rakho. Jeetna haarna toh khel ka hissa hain (Don't worry, get your hopes up. Winning and losing is a part of the game)," replied 67-year-old Vinayak Tiwari, a tea vendor outside Bandra's MIG Cricket Club.

As Tiwari busied himself with preparing and serving tea, his stall evolved into a hub of discussions and debates surrounding the World Cup squad.

Indian cricket is facing a dilemma at the moment, albeit a good one. There are simply too many decent batting options for the T20 format, but only limited spots remained for grabs for the World Cup. Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube are to blame for making selectors scratch their heads while formulating the batting setup.

Rinku was a future prospect that was meant to be kept under the wings for grooming, but who knew he would disobey and take off on his own given the opportunity? A 26-year-old put out there to get some exposure ended up rattling those up the ranks when it came to exhibiting his prowess across all facets of cricket. Life, however, decided to change his fate on Tuesday.

Dube, another all-rounder, who was considered too slow to pick up wickets, was boldly put into the squad ahead of in-form Rinku to toil hard alongside big names. Dube has managed to produce magic over the last two IPLs for CSK and the selectors must have considered his power-hitting abilities during India's recent T20 series win in January. Sure, in that case, why not spare some thought into Rinku's faultless performance since his India debut? If IPL really bore no influence on squad selection, how was Rinku's stellar strike rate of 176.23 across 15 T20Is brazenly disregarded? Being relegated to reserves is no less than a snub in itself, does a player of his stature deserve to be at the mercy of another?

Experienced wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul must have, in all probability, on Tuesday, found himself in a state of apprehension akin to watching a horror film unfold, as his name appeared nowhere on the screen. But selectors thought differently this time, having prioritised flamboyance over reliability, favouring Pant's consistency with keeping as well as batting. A batsman who has shots all around the park in crunch situations, Rahul's experience, consistency and technique is second to none. His exclusion leaves us a lot to think about. Is this a mere slap on the wrist to get his act together, or is it the end of the road for Rahul in the T20 format?

Selectors can at least take pride in the fact that they have won a few hearts down South after Samson's inclusion. The Royals skipper is truly an unsung hero, his stats show why! If not better, but for some odd reason, he never managed to garner the same love from selectors. Usually always selected to warm the bench, and occasionally asked to play when everyone else has failed, his chest should be swollen with pride.

Newly-appointed Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya seemed imbued with pure happiness as his side took the field against Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday. His captaincy and recent performances have landed him in hot water. Questions regarding his dip in form are circulating in the media and while he hasn't been completely ineffective, he is leaking runs more than usual. Under such circumstances, I dare say his absence could have made little to no difference in the squad, given how Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja can turn things around with the willow besides bowling. At least that would have helped a more deserving candidate have a crack at the opposition.

One need not spend long wandering about to know that nearly every Indian fan thinks he or she would do a better job of selecting squads than those presently tasked with doing it. Tuesday was no different.

Hopefully, if India does reach the final again this year, they won't watch it with their heads buried in the sand.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are the author's personal views and do not represent the views of Mid-Day.