Injury concerns for the Indian team continue as two players in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 are injured. Srikkanth thinks Gambhir is doing favouritism as he selected Ayush Badoni to replace Washington Sundar, and surely this came as a surprise to many of the fans because this was a replacement that surely would not cover what the role of Washington Sundar does in the Indian team.
The former World Cup winner with the Indian team in 1983, Kris Srikkanth, was not happy with the selection as he felt there were other players who deserved this place because of their current form in the previous matches. Ayush Badoni received his maiden Indian team call-up when he was playing for Delhi in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. He will be a part of the team to play the two ODIs with the Indian team.
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Srikkanth thinks Gambhir is doing favouritism as he selected Ayush Badoni to replace Washington Sundar
It was the first match in the series, and BCA Stadium, Kotambi, Vadodara, was the venue. India won that match by four wickets, but Washington Sundar was later ruled out of the series as he suffered a rib injury. Washington Sundar bowled five overs in that match and also came in to bat when India needed crucial runs at the end, as he scored 7* in seven balls. Later, Ayush Badoni’s name came to replace Sundar in the team, and Kris Srikkanth was furious.
What kind of door is this? Bring two or three trucks, take them, and go through and break the door. Really, I don’t understand what it is. Out of Axar, Badoni, Nitish Reddy, and Gaikwad, which two must really be in the team? Badoni played at LSG, and Gambhir was the mentor there. I don’t see any other reason
Ayush Badoni, with this performance, [had] no chance. What is his track record in the IPL also? IPL and one-day cricket are different. He has not done anything great. He is not a guy who can take the match away from you. Can he come at number six and hit sixes also? I don’t understand. What rubbish is this? How is he considered a bowling all-rounder?
“If an all-rounder is missing, why not bring in Axar Patel? He is a genuine all-rounder in all formats. Axar Patel has also done well. So I don’t understand this. Axar is a successful and proven all-rounder. You are leaving him and picking Badoni. I do not understand this selection. I don’t know what is going on. This is absolutely unfair. Look at Axar’s recent performances. There is so much contrast. He has done everything. He should have been an automatic choice
In the first place, he did not understand why Ayush Badoni’s name was selected, as Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Ruturaj Gaikwad were the names ahead of him. Axar Patel would not have been called, as he would have been given rest, as he would play the five-match T20I series against New Zealand and later play for India in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. Kris Srikkanth left that this decision was made on the basis of favouritism, as Ayush Badoni was a part of the Lucknow Supergiants, while Gautam Gambhir was the mentor.
Kris Srikkanth also highlighted his form and stated that he has no proven record in the Indian Premier League, and One-day matches are two different things. Srikkanth thinks that Ayush Badoni is not a guy who can bat down the order and hit big sixes when he is sent to bat at the number six or seven position. He also questioned how the selectors think that he is selected on the basis of being a bowling all-rounder.