Fast bowler Siddarth Kaul, who has been sidelined from the Indian cricket team for a while now, has questioned the selection criteria, saying that only the performance of players in the Indian Premier League counts now.
Kaul last played for India on their 2018 tour of England. He has so far played 3 T20s and 3 ODIs for India, but could never nail his spot. He has fallen back in the pecking order as India boasts of a strong pace battery.
Kaul was part of India’s under-19 team that clinched the World Cup back in 2008 under the captaincy of Virat Kohli.
Kaul, now 31, says IPL keeps getting all the limelight, adding that the other domestic games are not televised and hence, players don’t get noticed.
“Domestic cricket should be the criteria because some players, who can’t play the IPL, have such outstanding performances in domestic cricket. They aren’t included in any tour. I am quarantining right now, else I would have been playing the Ranji Trophy,” Kaul said in a conversation with Sports Yaari.
The Punjab pacer also spoke about how he has been a consistent performer in the domestic circuit in the recent past but has not gotten the attention.
“If you look at my track record last year, I played 5 matches, and picked 28 wickets, with 3 five-wicket hauls and a hat-trick. On a turning track, I got two five-wicket-hauls, and another on a green top. Yet, no one paid attention. I didn’t even get selected for India A,” he added.
Kaul has been picked by the Royal Challengers Bangalore at the IPL auctions.
As far as his numbers are concerned, he has picked 237 wickets, with 15 five-wicket hauls in 64 first-class matches.
Get all the latest updates on Cricket News, Cricket Photos, Cricket Videos, IPL Auction 2022 and Cricket Scores here