“Terrible selection by team management” – Twitter reacts after KL Rahul was preferred over in-form Ishan Kishan

Sri Lankan cricket team put up a tough fight to Team India in the three-match T20I series. In what was a tightly-fought contest, both teams took turns to outsmart the other in the first two games.

Sri Lanka were on the cusp of a win but India had the last laugh in the battle as they won the game by two runs. Sri Lanka responded with a 16-run in the second T20I but India made a superb comeback in the series decider as they won the game by 91 runs and won the series by 2-1.

Now, the action shifted towards the three-match ODI series. The first ODI is currently being held at Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati. Sri Lankan skipper Dasun Shanaka won the toss and invited Team India to bat first.

Ishan Kishan ignored in the playing XI; KL Rahul picked as wicketkeeper for the first ODI

India’s young southpaw, Ishan Kishan recently made the headlines after he became the fastest batsman to slam the double century in One-Day Internationals. He accomplished the feat during the third and final ODI against the Bangladesh cricket team in Chattogram.

Despite being in rich form, the selectors excluded him from the playing XI and instead KL Rahul was preferred as the wicketkeeper-batsman. KL Rahul hasn’t been in good form for quite a while and he should be looking to make a bold statement in the first ODI.

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Avishka Fernando, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka(c), Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamika Karunaratne, Dunith Wellalage, Kasun Rajitha, Dilshan Madushanka

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Mohammed Shami, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Yuzvendra Chahal

Here’s how Twitter reacted after KL Rahul was picked ahead of Ishan Kishan in the first ODI

Terrible selection by team management

— Jayendran Menon (@Dayamaitreya) January 10, 2023

SKY should be in the squad

— Bhavesh (@bhaveshp500) January 10, 2023

Last odi double centurian not playing. Last T20 centurian not playing. What a joke

— Prasun Jha (@jprasun21) January 10, 2023

SKY robbed 😭

— Dark Knight 🦇 (@calamity058) January 10, 2023

Sacrificing Ishan Kishan to accommodate KL Rahul in the ODI team is very disappointing. For how long the team management will continue to mess up selections?

They've turned a large talent pool into a huge disadvantage.#CricketTwitter #INDvSL

— Navneet Mundhra (@navneet_mundhra) January 9, 2023