Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla was not happy with the “Rest of India” team selection in the ongoing Irani Cup against Madhya Pradesh in Gwalior. 

Four from Bengal was named in the Rest of India squad announced by selection committee. Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sudip Gharami, Mukesh Kumar and Akash Deep found themselves in that squad.

Among those four, only Abhimanyu Easwaran and Mukesh Kumar found their places in the team. Bengal coach, Laxman Ratan Shukla was surprised and disappointed after seeing Akash Deep and Sudip Gharami’s exclusion from the playing XI. 

“In a strange team selection, Bengal’s in-form batsman Sudip Kumar Gharami who scored over 800 runs and pacer Akash Deep who bagged over 40 wickets in the recently concluded Ranji Trophy season, surprisingly found themselves out of the Rest of India playing XI in the Irani Cup against Madhya Pradesh in Gwalior,” Bengal coach Laxmi Ratan Shukla told CAB Media.

Irani Trophy: Sudip Gharami not XI despite being in form

Sudip Gharami was in great form in the Ranji season, finishing in the sixth position in the Ranji top-run-getters list.

Read Also: Most Runs in Ranji Trophy 2022-23

The 23-year old scored 803 runs in just 10 matches along with 3 centuries and 6 half-centuries.

On the other hand, batters like Saurabh Kumar, Upendra Yadav, Yash Dhull and Baba Aparajith who were included in the ROI team did not have a great Ranji season this year.

Saurabh, the UP batter scored just 102 runs in five matches in the Ranji season. Upendra, playing for Railways managed 352 runs in seven matches. 

Yash scored just 270 runs in six matches for Delhi while Aparajith, playing for Tamil Nadu scored 402 runs in seven games. 

Akashdeep took 41 wickets this Ranji Trophy season

Meanwhile, Akashdeep claimed 41 wickets in 10 matches with three five-wicket hauls and one 10-wicket haul had to sit out in the dugout. He was seventh on the top wicket-taker’s list.

Surprisingly Delhi pacer Navdeep Saini, who didn’t play a single Ranji game in the season was included in the XI.

“This is disappointing to say the least and will let the shoulders down for these talented players. The selectors should give it a thought and as for the players they always give their best,” Laxmi Ratan Shukla added. 

Though, this Irani match is based on 2021-22 season where Madhya Pradesh became the Ranji Champion for the first time, Bengal coach was disappointed seeing in form players not given a chance in the playing eleven.