Sunil Gavaskar hits out: ‘Focus on your country’s cricket, let us worry about ours’

Sunil Gavaskar has taken strong stand to overseas cricketers commenting on India’s team selection, especially in the wake of Shreyas Iyer’s exclusion from the Asia Cup squad. The former India captain questioned why foreign voices felt the need to pass judgement on decisions taken by Indian selectors. “What is baffling is foreigners who have zero stake in Indian cricket, and much less knowledge about it, wading into the debate and adding fuel to the fire. However great they may be as players and however many times they may have been to India, the selection of the Indian team is strictly none of their business,” Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. Iyer, who recently led Punjab Kings to the IPL 2025 final after captaining Kolkata Knight Riders to the title a year earlier, was left out of the Asia Cup squad. His omission came despite being in contention for a middle-order role, with Shubman Gill securing a spot instead. The decision triggered sharp reactions, particularly towards chief selector Ajit Agarkar. While criticism from Indian voices was expected, Gavaskar was clear in his stance that outsiders should refrain from weighing in. “They should focus on their country’s cricket and let us Indians worry about our cricket. Amazingly, when their country’s teams are selected, there’s hardly anything, if ever, heard from them about the selection. It’s almost as if the selection is perfect and they have no comments to make. So, why butt your nose into the selection of the Indian team?” he wrote. Though Gavaskar refrained from naming individuals, his remarks come at a time when there have been recent observations made by Brad Haddin and AB de Villiers. Haddin, who worked with Iyer at Punjab Kings earlier this year, admitted he was “surprised” by the omission, saying, “I thought he was injured.” De Villiers too hinted at “closed-door happenings” behind the decision, though his tone was measured. Gavaskar went a step further, suggesting that some of these comments were made to attract attention online. “Today, in the days of public media, where getting views and followers is the theme, one of the fastest ways to increase the numbers is by commenting on matters Indian. And mostly, they do it negatively, so there is a huge reaction from Indian keyboard users, which in turn boosts their follower count,” he observed. He also pointed a finger at Indian media for amplifying such voices. “How often, on overseas tours, do we see members of the Indian media chasing former players from the host country – players whom even their own nation has almost forgotten – for an interview? It’s almost as if validation about Indian cricket and its cricketers has to be obtained from overseas players,” Gavaskar concluded.