Veteran Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh slammed the Indian selectors for leaving out in-form batsman Mayank Agarwal from the 2018 Asia Cup squad. Expressing his surprise at the exclusion of the highest run-getter in the last Ranji Trophy season, Bhajji asked the selectors if they were following a different set of rules for different players.
The 38-year-old took to Twitter to express his disappointment at the exclusion of Agarwal. He tweeted, “Where is Mayank Agarwal??? After scoring so many runs I don’t see him in the squad … different rules for different people I guess.”
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Agarwal smashed 1, 160 runs in the last Ranji Trophy finishing the season as the highest run-getter, with a record-breaking triple century (304) against Maharashtra. The Bangalore boy also made 723 runs in eight Vijay Hazare matches, to score the highest runs (2, 141) by any batsman in an Indian domestic season.
The 27-year-old also scored a double century against South Africa A in the four-day match and has another hundred against Australia A in the ongoing Quadrangular series.
Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad, however, defended their decision of leaving Agarwal out of the squad.
“Mayank Agarwal has been fantastic and has been consistent in the last 10-12 months. He is just a step away and I am sure in due course of time he will get his recognition,” Prasad was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
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“And he did well in all three formats in whatever opportunities he has got in domestic cricket. We will definitely look at it when we rest some of the senior players.”
Meanwhile, Indian skipper Virat Kohli has been rested from the Asia Cup tournament and in his absence, Rohit Sharma will lead the Indian team. Shikhar Dhawan has been named the vice-captain.