Agarkar refused to be Gambhir’s yes-man, made bold Surya, Gill, Kishan calls behind India’s World Cup win: Report

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup triumph has inevitably brought renewed focus on some of the toughest selection calls made by India’s chief selector Ajit Agarkar. Decisions that once sparked debate around the squad now sit alongside a title-winning campaign, giving them a different perspective.

One of the most discussed calls was leaving out Shubman Gill. Omitting a player of Gill’s stature was always likely to attract scrutiny in India, where major selection decisions are examined closely. Agarkar defended the move, saying it reflected the team’s depth rather than any doubt about Gill’s quality.

“Your opinion could differ from mine. We still think he’s a quality player. Someone has to miss out, it’s him — it’s not because he’s not a good player. Fortunately in Indian cricket we have options,” he said.

The comment summed up the challenge of India’s white-ball selection: not finding talented players, but deciding which capable cricketer must miss out to build a balanced squad.

Another key decision was backing Suryakumar Yadav as captain at a time when Hardik Pandya was widely viewed as the natural successor. The call drew attention because leadership changes in Indian cricket rarely pass without debate, but Agarkar explained the logic behind it.

“One of the main issues discussed was that you want a captain who’s likely to play all the games. We think he is a deserving candidate,” he said.

In hindsight, the decision appears even more significant, with Suryakumar leading India through the tournament and eventually lifting the trophy.

The recall of Ishan Kishan was another move that required conviction. Despite speculation over his place in the pecking order, Agarkar said the selection was based on role and form.

“He bats at the top in white-ball cricket. He has been in good form. He has played before for India,” Agarkar said, adding that his earlier absence had a simple explanation.

“He wasn’t in the Indian team because there were Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel ahead of him — two pretty good players. Nothing to do with anything else.”

Ultimately, the title has reshaped the narrative around these choices. Selection calls often face the harshest criticism before results arrive and are judged more clearly after success follows.

After the final, former cricketer Gautam Gambhir summed up that sentiment, saying: “I think I should dedicate this trophy to Ajit Agarkar, because he does take a lot of flak and I’m thankful for the amount of honesty he’s worked with.”

The difficult decisions came first, the criticism followed, and the trophy arrived later—turning once-controversial calls into defining moments of a championship campaign.