BCCI quickly shuts down question on India-Pakistan clash during Asia Cup squad announcement

The drama surrounding India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup finally came to an end on Tuesday with India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav and chief selector Ajit Agarkar unveiling the Men in Blue's XV at the BCCI’s Mumbai headquarters. The highlight of the selection meeting and the subsequent announcement was Test captain Shubman Gill being named vice-captain of the T20I side , and senior pacer Jasprit Bumrah returning to the shortest format after more than a year.

Also raising eyebrows during the squad announcement was the absence of Shreyas Iyer and Yashasvi Jaiswal from the squad , with the latter having played a key role in helping Punjab Kings reach the Indian Premier League final. Pacers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, the latter having won the IPL Purple Cap earlier this year, also did not find a mention with Harshit Rana getting picked ahead of them.

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BCCI steps in to stop question on India-Pakistan fixture

Another standout moment from Tuesday’s press conference was a reporter asking Agarkar for his opinion on India’s upcoming fixture against Pakistan in Dubai on 14 September.

The decision to group arch-rivals India and Pakistan in the same group just months after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack and the subsequent Operation Sindoor has been heavily criticised on social media.

The BCCI, additionally, has been slammed for remaining silent on the matter and for not taking the sentiment of the nation, particularly the families of those who lost their loved ones in the Pahalgam attack, into consideration.

“Looking at this Asia Cup, there is a big game on the 14th, India versus Pakistan. With everything that has happened between the two countries over the last two months, how will you approach that game,” asked the reporter.

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The BCCI media manager, however, quickly stepped in and responded on Agarkar’s behalf, dismissing his query on the Indo-Pak controversy.

“If you have a question regarding the team selection, you can ask that,” the media manager said.

Indian and Pakistani teams led by Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Hafeez respectively were scheduled to meet at the World Championship of Legends last month.

The Indians, who had defeated the Pakistanis in the final of the inaugural edition last year, boycotted both matches including the semi-final, in solidarity with the Pahalgam victims as well as the Indian armed forces.