Ashwin criticizes Yadav drop and Iyer captain appointment

Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed significant reservations about the decision to drop Suryakumar Yadav from the national T20I squad, a move that comes just months after he captained the team to a T20 World Cup victory. The national selectors have appointed Shreyas Iyer as the new T20I captain, despite Iyer not having played a T20 International for over two years.

Ashwin, speaking on a video show, said he could understand the disappointment Suryakumar Yadav must be feeling. He described the decision as setting a notable precedent for future selection policies. Ashwin questioned whether a captain who has won a T20 World Cup has ever been dropped without a clear warning, adding that while he was sure there had been communication with the player, the day marked a landmark in selection history.

The decision follows a period of modest batting form for Suryakumar Yadav. During the T20 World Cup campaign, he scored 242 runs at a strike rate of 136.72. His struggles continued in the subsequent Indian Premier League season, where he managed 270 runs at a strike rate of 147.54 for the Mumbai Indians. The chairman of the selection committee, Ajit Agarkar, cited the...