Sanjay Manjrekar slams BCCI for picking KL Rahul for Australia Tests and demotivating Ranji cricketers

Sanjay Manjrekar, the former Indian cricketer, was unhappy after KL Rahul was picked for the Australia Tests. On Monday, October 26, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) named the T20I, Test and ODI squads for the upcoming international fixtures, most likely to start in the last week of November. As far as Rahul is concerned, he has been in stupendous form in recent times.

Captaining Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL), the youngster is the Orange Cap holder. He also holds the record for the highest individual score by a captain in the history of the cash-rich league. He accomplished the feat against his former team Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) when he scored an unbeaten 132 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

Manjrekar unhappy over KL Rahul’s selection

However, that he was picked for the Tests based on his IPL numbers didn’t please Manjrekar. Rahul last played a Test against the West Indies in August 2019 at the Kingston in Jamaica. He averages only 34.58 in 36 matches, showing that he hasn’t quite lived up to potential in the longer format. Rahul has five centuries and 11 half-centuries after making his debut in 2014.

Manjrekar said that going for Rahul indirectly meant demotivating the Ranji Trophy cricketers, who strain every sinew to make the national squad. The veteran also put forth Rahul’s figures in his last five Test series to back his comments.

He took to Twitter and wrote, “You set a bad precedent when you recall a player for Tests on IPL performance. Especially if the player has been an abject failure in his last few Tests. Whether that player succeeds or fails is irrelevant, such selections massively demotivate Ranji players. #INDvsAUS.”

“KL Rahul in his last 5 Test series – v SA – Avg 7.1 – v Eng – Avg 29 – v WI at home – Avg 18 – v Aus – Avg 10.7 – v WI – Avg 25.4 I say very lucky to get a recall based on IPL & white ball performance. But now let’s just hope he makes the most of this chance. Good luck to him!” his second tweet read.

Here are the tweets:

You set a bad precedent when you recall a player for Tests on IPL performance. Especially if the player has been an abject failure in his last few Tests. Whether that player succeeds or fails is irrelevant, such selections massively demotivate Ranji players. #INDvsAUS

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) October 27, 2020

KL Rahul in his last 5 Test series
– v SA – Avg 7.1
– v Eng – Avg 29
– v WI at home – Avg 18
– v Aus – Avg 10.7
– v WI – Avg 25.4
I say very lucky to get a recall based on IPL & white ball performance. But now let’s just hope he makes the most of this chance. Good luck to him! https://t.co/YBVbeut5jH

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) October 27, 2020