Sadagoppan Ramesh defends Arshdeep Singh's Gambhir selection in all-time XI
Ramesh says Arshdeep's Gambhir selection reflects the current head coach's influence rather than historical merit.
Former India opener Sadagoppan Ramesh defended Arshdeep Singh's decision to name Gautam Gambhir as an opener in his all-time Indian XI across formats. Fans criticised Arshdeep for selecting Gambhir over Sourav Ganguly and Virender Sehwag, and for excluding Jasprit Bumrah from his top five bowlers.
Ramesh called Arshdeep smart and suggested the fast bowler's choice reflected Gambhir's position as current India head coach. He noted that if VVS Laxman had been head coach instead, one of Ganguly or Sehwag would likely have been named as opener.
Arshdeep also placed Rohit Sharma at number six in his all-time XI. Ramesh said the contradictory nature of Arshdeep's lists had angered fans on social media.
CricHubb Take
The backlash reveals how quickly power dynamics shift in Indian cricket. Arshdeep's selection shows players understand that current influence matters more than historical standing when constructing these lists, and that criticism often misses the institutional reality behind such choices.