"They should focus on their country's cricket" - Sunil Gavaskar's merciless attack on former overseas players over India's 2025 Asia Cup squad

England v India - 5th Rothesay Test Match: Day Four - Source: Getty
Sunil Gavaskar did not hold back in his brutal attack on former overseas players [Credit: Getty]

Former Indian opener Sunil Gavaskar slammed ex-overseas players for weighing in on India's team selections and overall Indian cricket. His remarks were a direct response to India's 2025 Asia Cup squad, which drew reactions and debates among players from all countries.

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The 15-member squad for the continental tournament had several notable omissions and a few surprising inclusions. Several experts have expressed surprise over Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal's absence from the Asia Cup roster, while a few have questioned the selections of Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, and Harshit Rana.

Talking about foreign players expressing their views on Indian cricket, Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar:

"They (Overseas players) should focus on their country’s cricket and let us Indians worry about our cricket. Amazingly, when their country’s teams are selected, there’s hardly anything, if ever, heard from them about the selection. It’s almost as if the selection is perfect and they have no comments to make."
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He added:

"So, why butt your nose into the selection of the Indian team? Have you ever heard Indian ex-cricketers talk about the selection of other countries’ teams? No, we mind our own business, and seriously couldn’t be bothered by who they choose or who they don’t select."

The eight-team Asia Cup is set to begin in the UAE on September 9, with Team India, alongside Pakistan, Oman, and the UAE, forming Group A.

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"The selection of the Indian team is strictly none of their business" - Sunil Gavaskar

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Sunil Gavaskar continued his attack on former overseas players, advising them to stay away from commenting on Indian cricket. Given the talent pool in India, especially in the T20 format, selecting a universally accepted squad has become a near-impossible task for the selectors.

"What is baffling, though, is foreigners who have zero stake in Indian cricket, and much less knowledge about it, wading into the debate and adding fuel to the fire. However great they may be as players and however many times they may have been to India, the selection of the Indian team is strictly none of their business," said Gavaskar (via the aforementioned source).

The Indian Men's team has dominated the white-ball formats over the past few years, winning the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy. They also finished as runners-up in the 2023 home ODI World Cup.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran
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