Latest news with #BailsandBanter
News18
17 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
'He Only Rejects': Gambhir Slammed For 'Not A Selector' Remark On Shreyas Iyer
Last Updated: Atul Wassan criticized Gautam Gambhir for his comment on Shreyas Iyer's omission from India's Test squad for the England tour, arguing that coaches influence team selection. Former India cricketer-turned-commentator Atul Wassan criticised Gautam Gambhir for his remark on Mumbai cricketer Shreyas Iyer's omission from the country's squad for the five-Test tour of England in the summer. A reporter asked Gambhir about the subject, and the men's head coach tried to avoid it with a curt, 'I am not a selector'. Wassan took an objection to it, saying that coaches have a significant role in these decisions and taunting Gambhir for being the one who 'rejects' players instead. 'He doesn't select, he only rejects," Wassan said on the Bails and Banter show on the OTTplay. 'The coach has a role in team selection, and selectors also listen to them before naming the squad," Wassan said. However, Wassan also backed Gambhir for having the team he desired, saying he deserves that freedom whether the selection works or not. 'If he (Gambhir) has been given this position, then I think he deserves to go with his feeling, whether it's right or wrong," Wassan added. Iyer last played Test matches for India against England at home in February 2024. He was dropped midway through the series due to poor form and a back issue. Since then, he has only participated in international white-ball formats. However, his performance in the most recent Ranji Trophy season was impressive: he scored 480 runs at an average of 68.57, including two centuries, as Mumbai reached the tournament's semi-finals. His place in the Test 11 was taken by the likes of Dhruv Jurel and Sarfaraz Khan. For this England tour, his name was doing the rounds again because seniors Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma had both vacated their spots. In the press conference announcing the squad, chief selector Ajit Agarkar was also asked about his absence despite his IPL and white-ball form. Agarkar gave a more detailed answer. 'Shreyas Iyer had a good One-Day series," Agarkar said. 'When the reporter nudged him about Iyer's domestic form, Agarkar said, 'He did well in domestic but at the moment there is no room but if he keeps doing well, I am sure he will find a spot back in test cricket at some stage," he added. Shreyas will lead Punjab Kings in the second Qualifier for IPL 2025 against Mumbai Indians on Sunday. First Published:
NDTV
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- NDTV
On Virat Kohli Allegedly 'Insulting' Musheer Khan, Ex India Star's Blunt Justification
The Qualifier 1 match of IPL 2025 match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru was a completely one-sided contest as Rajat Patidar and co registered an eight-wicket win and marched into the final. Apart from a dominating game, the match also had a controversial moment after RCB star batter Virat Kohli allegedly tried to sledge PBKS debutant Musheer Khan. Facing a batting collapse, PBKS were forced to bring-in Musheer as an impact-sub in the first innings, which also became his first IPL appearance. However, when he came to bat, Kohli, who was placed at the first slip, was heard saying, "Yeh paani pilata hai (He serves water)." Kohli saying "Ye to Pani pilata hai" to young Musheer Khan. Kohli is such a creep and shameless person. — RISHIT SHARMA (@Rishit_264) May 29, 2025 This moment from the game went viral on social media as the fans lashed out at Kohli for trying to insult a young player. However, former India pacer Atul Wassan came to Kohli's aide by stating the competitive nature of the star batter. "Virat has a competitive nature; even if he plays with his own baby, he would like to win. One should not feel bad about it. When you are playing the game, consider yourself equal, and don't expect an inch, nor give an inch," Wassan said on the OTTplay 'Bails and Banter' show. "If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. If someone is doing it within the line, it's fine. Sledging is a mixture of sarcasm, wit and being obnoxious," he added. Wassan further stated that sledging at some extent should be allowed as the players should be free to express themselves. "Of course, there should be no physical confrontation, but certain gestures should not be misinterpreted, which entirely depends on the match officials. You have to let people express themselves within the limits," said Wassan. Talking about the incident, when Musheer arrived on the field to bat, Virat was spotted calling him a 'water-boy', who had come in to deliver water to his teammates a few overs ago. The act from the RCB stalwart triggered a huge debate on social media. A section of fans suggested that Kohli was 'abusing' the Punjab Kings youngster by calling him a 'water boy'. The RCB icon's fans defended him, highlighting the fact that Kohli had gifted Musheer one of his bats earlier in the season. Some also pointed out the fact that Musheer idolises Virat as a batter.
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Virat Kohli defended in Musheer Khan ‘ye paani pilaata hai' row: ‘Even if he plays with his own baby, he would…'
Virat Kohli was caught in the middle of a huge storm after a video clip went viral in which he was seemingly seen sledging Punjab Kings' young batter Musheer Khan during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Qualifier 1. The RCB legend was seen trying to get under the skin of the Mumbai batter. However, the choice of words did not go down well with fans on social media as they criticised the former India captain for trying to intimidate a young batter. Former India pacer Atul Wassan has now commented on the incident, saying things like these can happen on the cricket field. He even joked that Virat would be the same aggressive character if he were playing the sport against his own kids. When Musheer Khan walked out to bat in the ninth over of the PBKS innings, Kohli, who was positioned at first slip, referred to how the right-handed batter had been serving drinks for Punjab Kings in IPL 2025. In the video clip, Kohli was heard saying, 'Yeh paani pilaata hai. (He serves water).' Some fans also tried to come to the aid of Kohli, saying the RCB batter did not insult Musheer as he was just alluding to the fact that Musheer was acting as a water boy minutes before coming out to bat as an impact sub. It must be mentioned that this claim cannot be verified independently by Hindustan Times. However, Wassan said things like this are part and parcel of the game as everyone is equal on the cricket field. 'Virat has a competitive nature; even if he plays with his own baby, he would like to win. One should not feel bad about it. When you are playing the game, consider yourself equal, and don't expect an inch, nor give an inch,' Wassan said on the OTTplay 'Bails and Banter' show. The former India pacer Wassan also said that sledging is a part of the game and people should be allowed to express their emotions as long as they are not going overboard. 'If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. If someone is doing it within the line, it's fine. Sledging is a mixture of sarcasm, wit and being obnoxious,' said Wassan. 'Of course, there should be no physical confrontation, but certain gestures should not be misinterpreted, which entirely depends on the match officials. You have to let people express themselves within the limits,' he added. It must be mentioned that earlier in the IPL 2025 season, Virat Kohli gifted one of his bats to Musheer Khan after the league-stage match between Punjab Kings and RCB. Earlier, RCB defeated Punjab Kings by eight wickets in Qualifier 1 to reach the IPL 2025 final. However, PBKS have another chance of reaching the final as they will take on Mumbai Indians in Qualifier 2 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
NDTV
3 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Karun Nair's Comeback Sparks Debate as Sarfaraz Khan, Shreyas Iyer Miss Out On England Tests
As India prepares for a crucial five-match Test series in England starting June 20, the omissions of Sarfaraz Khan and Shreyas Iyer from the squad have triggered plenty of debate. Both batters were widely expected to be part of the team, especially with the retirements of stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Instead, the selectors opted for Karun Nair, marking a surprise recall after nearly eight years, and handed Sai Sudharsan his maiden call-up. The buzz now is whether Nair's resurgence came at the cost of Sarfaraz and Iyer's Test futures. The announcement of India's 18-member Test squad for the England tour raised more than a few eyebrows. With two batting spots available due to the recent retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the general belief was that Shreyas Iyer and Sarfaraz Khan – both of whom played for India in the last year – were front-runners. However, in a surprising move, the selectors, led by Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir, chose to go in a different direction. Karun Nair, who last played a Test for India in 2017, was recalled following an outstanding domestic season. Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan was rewarded for consistent performances with a maiden call-up. These selections meant there was no place for Sarfaraz or Iyer, and the decision has since drawn mixed reactions. Former India pacer Atul Wassan believes the omissions were driven more by perception than performance. Speaking on the 12th episode of Bails and Banter on OTTPlay, Wassan suggested that Sarfaraz and Iyer were overlooked due to doubts about their ability to succeed in English conditions. 'Sarfaraz made three fifties and a hundred but didn't get a single game in Australia. It's this perception that he may not perform overseas. Same with Shreyas Iyer – people feel he hasn't done enough in red-ball cricket,' Wassan said. 'On the other hand, the buzz was all about Karun Nair. Sometimes the team management just backs a gut feeling.' Sarfaraz had a memorable debut earlier this year, scoring 62 against England before being run out due to a mix-up with Ravindra Jadeja. He backed it up with a 68* in the next innings and went on to score another fifty and his maiden Test century – 150 vs New Zealand in Bengaluru. Despite his performances, he did not feature in a single match in the Australia series and now finds himself out of the squad entirely. Shreyas Iyer, on the other hand, last played a Test during the England series before a back injury sidelined him. While he returned strongly in white-ball cricket – playing a key role in India's Champions Trophy win – his red-ball spot remains elusive. His exclusion from BCCI's central contracts list earlier this year had already hinted at his uncertain Test future. Karun Nair, meanwhile, made a strong case with 863 runs in nine Ranji Trophy matches and 779 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. His consistent form seems to have convinced the selectors to give him another shot in the longest format. Listen to the latest songs, only on
NDTV
3 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Gautam Gambhir's 'Not A Selector' Comment Receives Brutal Jibe: "Only Rejects..."
The decision to include Shreyas Iyer in the Indian cricket team squad for the upcoming Test series against England has resulted in a lot of debate among fans and experts. Shreyas enjoyed a brilliant run of form in the last one year and although his IPL batting performance was quite impressive, he was not considered for the series. While chief selector Ajit Agarkar gave a detailed reason for not selecting him, head coach Gautam Gambhir just said that 'I am not the selector' - an indication that the coaching staff was not included in the process. During the 12th episode of Bails and Banter on the OTTplay app, former Indian pacer Atul Wassan took a slight dig at Gambhir - 'he doesn't select; he only rejects'. Wassan added that a coach plays a key role in team selection process. "If he (Gautam Gambhir) has been given this position, then I think he deserves to go with his feeling, whether it's right or wrong," he explained. Earlier, Gambhir hailed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for dedicating the final of IPL 2025 — scheduled for June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — to the Indian Armed Forces, in honour of Operation Sindoor, the military response to the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives. This gesture from the BCCI and IPL Governing Council marks a first-of-its-kind tribute in the league's history. The Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, and Chief of Air Staff have been officially invited to attend the grand finale. "It's an unbelievable step from BCCI. You know, we normally criticise the BCCI for various things, but this is unbelievable. This is something where I think BCCI has taken a great initiative from a point of view where the entire nation is one, and the entire nation has to salute the armed forces for what they do unconditionally, saving and protecting us," Gambhir told the reporters on the sidelines of the Goswami Ganesh Dutt Memorial Cricket Tournament. The IPL final, initially set for May 26, was rescheduled to June 3 following a week-long suspension of the tournament due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan. The escalation — and India's subsequent military action across the Line of Control and in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir — saw the nation rally around its armed forces, leading the BCCI to take a conscious call to align the tournament's climax with a patriotic tribute. Since the restart, every IPL match has opened with the national anthem, while digital boards across stadiums flash a constant message: 'Thank You, Armed Forces.' The initiative has received widespread appreciation from players and fans alike.
