The inclusion of out of form batsman Ian Dev Singh as wicket keeper batsman in the J&K T20 team has raised many questions on the selection process that has been followed.
Ian Dev has miserably failed since last season and has not contributed any noteworthy for J&K in T20, ODI or even this year’s Ranji trophy. Being reckoned as one of the top batsman of J&K, Ian is totally out of touch since last season and to include him in the T20 team is injustice with some of the talented youngsters who have knocking at the doors.
“Ian has failed miserably this season as well and he needed to sit back and look at what is wrong with him. He is proper batsman and could have opted to skip T20 and pave way for some youngster,” said a senior cricketer.
Another senior cricketer said that to include Ian Dev as wicketkeeper is deliberate excuse on part of selectors to include this out of form player.
“He has been mainly playing as a batsman all through his career with optional keeping at times. But this time despite having some top young wicket keeping batsman available who did well during trials selectors included Ian in the team. It is injustice with the youngsters who have been waiting for their chance. It would have done no harm to Ian if he would have been given rest for this event,” he said.
Another official said that Ian doesn’t deserve place in this team owing to his form since last year.
“It is not case of only this year but he has failed badly since last year. Our players don’t get 50 or 60 matches in the season but very few and they can’t wait all their life for the chance. It was time to drop him and give chance to some youngster. He looks odd choice in the team that includes some Under-23 players as well,” he said.