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Sitanshu Kotak denied any ‘agenda’ in India team selection, praising Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav for prioritizing team needs.
India men’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has categorically denied any ‘agenda’ or favoritism for selection in the team, saying that head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav try to do what’s best for the team. He said the entire team knows this, and those on the bench try to support the starters.
Kotak’s answer was in response to a query about Arshdeep Singh’s absence from the team’s Asia Cup opener against the UAE on Wednesday. India’s top wicket-taker in T20Is found himself among the substitutes as the team picked only one specialist pacer in Jasprit Bumrah, two specialist spinners, and three all-rounders.
The move paid off on the spinning track as they bowled out the UAE for just 57 and shot it down with nine wickets to spare.
“The first discussion we have with the head coach and the captain is that obviously, these 15 are like this, everyone deserves to play,” Kotak said on Friday, as quoted by PTI. “If any player is not playing, it will be difficult for him because he will feel [left] out. But, at the end of the day, it’s a team sport. So, everyone knows that there is no agenda, there is no personal liking, disliking. Whatever is best for the team, the captain and head coach will decide and do that. And I don’t think there is any doubt in anybody’s mind. So, whoever is not playing, they are always trying to help the guys who are playing,” he added.
Another decision that became subject to social media debates was the demotion of Sanju Samson to the middle order. Samson was doing brilliantly as an opener before the Asia Cup, but the return of Shubman Gill to the squad alongside the vice-captaincy duties meant one of Samson and Abhishek Sharma had to be dislodged. Kotak defended that by saying that every batter is prepared to bat wherever the team needs.
“See, Sanju has not batted a lot at No. 5 or 6. But that doesn’t mean that he can’t do it. So, I think Sanju is a good enough player to bat at any number. So, according to the requirement of the team, captain and head coach will decide. And he is more than happy to bat at any number,” Kotak said.
“If you look at our batting line-up, everyone is capable of going in at any number and finish the match. Although we have four-five such aggressive players, the head coach or captain can decide according to the situation. More or less, everyone is prepared to bat at any number. Sanju, in the last match, he would have batted at number 5. In the next match, he can bat at any number. So, it is not fixed. Everyone knows their role. So, they will be ready according to the situation,” he added.
India take on Pakistan on Sunday for their second match in the group stage.
September 12, 2025, 22:26 IST
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