Former India batter Hanuma Vihari has questioned the Indian team management's decision to leave Rajat Patidar out of the T20I squad for the Zimbabwe series.
Vihari believes Patidar deserved a place after his impressive performances and leadership with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, while also questioning the overall balance of the squad.
Patidar's omission has sparked debate, with Vihari pointing out that the squad features several left-handed batters, leaving him wondering why a right-handed batter like Patidar or Sanju Samson wasn't considered.
The Indian team management has not commented on Vihari's criticism, but the squad's performance in the opening T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday suggests that they are on the right track.
India made a strong start to the series by defeating Zimbabwe by seven wickets, thanks to a sensational half-century from 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who became the youngest player to score a fifty in men's international cricket.
Sooryavanshi's 18-ball fifty included four fours and four sixes, while Mayank Yadav (2/18) and Prince Yadav (2/19) starred with the ball.
The Indian team's decision to name role-specific concussion substitutes, including Suryansh Shedge, Prabhsimran Singh, Harsh Dubey and Yash Thakur, has also been praised by fans and pundits alike.
Vihari's criticism of the Indian team management's decision to leave out Patidar and others has sparked a debate about the selection process and the importance of performance over age.
The Indian team is set to face Zimbabwe in the second T20I on Saturday, with the series tied at 1-0. The team's selection and performance will be closely watched as they look to take the lead in the three-match contest.
The Indian team's decision to leave out experienced players like Kuldeep Yadav and Sanju Samson has also been questioned by Vihari, who feels that performances should matter more than age when picking the squad.
Source: Yahoo Sports