'Worst Selection Committee': Gautam Gambhir Unleashes Fury Recalling Ambati Rayudu's Snub in 2019 World Cup

Former India opener Gautam Gambhir didn’t hold back in his criticism saying that the selection committee which picked India’s squad for the 2019 ODI World Cup was the ‘worst’. Rekindling the Ambati Rayudu snub incident and the number 4 debacle faced by India, Gambhir minced no words as he lashed out at the MSK Prasad-led selection committee.

Ambati Rayudu was India’s first-choice pick at the number 4 spot in the months leading into the ODI World Cup in England, before Rayudu was dropped from the World Cup squad. It was a shocking decision after which Rayudu also announced his retirement before overturning the same.

Gambhir, while commentating on India vs New Zealand ODI World Cup 2023 contest, said on-air that he couldn’t remember who was the chairman of selectors at the time, but blamed him for the fiasco. For the unversed, MSK Prasad was the head of the selection committee back then, with Devang Gandhi, Sharandeep Singh, Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda as his fellow selectors.

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“Selection Committee of 2019 was the worst. You played Ambati Rayudu throughout the year and dropped him during the World Cup without any reason,” Gambhir told Star Sports.

Gambhir also added that the Indian management might be at fault as well, but they only had to juggle with the remaining options in the squad, with then-Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar sitting beside him at the time.

While the Virat Kohli-led Indian team remained unbeaten up until the semifinals, they face New Zealand in the semis and chasing a 240-run total, the Men in Blue were all out for 221 after suffering an early batting collapse.

MS Dhoni’s unfortunate run-out was also played on the live broadcast as the former Indian captain had suffered an unlucky dismissal in what turned out to be his final game in Indian colours.

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India would go on to lose the semifinal and it was the second consecutive defeat for the Indian team in the World Cup semifinals, having also suffered a loss in the semifinals of the 2015 ODI World Cup as well, under Dhoni’s captaincy.

The Indian team have been rampant in the 2023 World Cup so far, having won all four games before their meeting with New Zealand. The Indian team have never beaten the Kiwis in ICC events since 2003.