Players can’t earn a berth in ODI squad by performing in IPL, says Gambhir

WHILE FANS have been voicing their disappointment over Gautam Gambhir’s exclusion from the India squad that is set to play the ICC Champions Trophy 2017, the Kolkata Knight Riders skipper opined that the selection for any ODI tournament should be done after considering their performance in the domestic 50-over format.

Gambhir, who is currently the fourth highest run getter in the ongoing IPL-10, believes that the performance of a player in IPL should only earn him a spot in the T20 side. As reported by ESPNCricinfo, the southpaw said,

“T20 runs should only be a criteria to get selected for a T20 side. The moment you start picking players in the one-day format by their T20 performance, then you are giving your domestic 50-over competitions absolutely no relevance.”

The senior India batsman reckoned that it would be selfish of him to do well in IPL 10 and hope for a spot in the national 50-over format. 

"The moment I start thinking about me scoring runs to be part of the Champions Trophy team, it would be a very, very selfish thing to do. And being a leader you can't do that. If I start thinking on those lines, there may be so many other guys in the [KKR] team who would be thinking of being in the Champions Trophy squad too and they would be thinking about their own individual performances then. That's not right. You should always stay in the present. Rest of the things are byproducts - if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't happen, it is fine. Ultimately I don't play to get selected, I play to win a game of cricket." 

Gambhir has scored 425 runs in 12 matches for KKR in the ongoing season. 
 

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