Harbhajan questions exclusion of Chahal, Samson, Abhishek from Sri Lanka tour

Harbhajan Singh has voiced his concerns about the Indian selection panel's decision to leave out Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, and Abhishek Sharma from the squads for the upcoming white-ball tour of Sri Lanka.

India is set to play three T20Is and three ODIs in Sri Lanka. The BCCI announced the squads earlier this week, and the selections have stirred controversy among cricket fans and experts alike.

One of the major talking points has been the omission of Sanju Samson from the ODI squad. Samson, who scored a century in his last ODI against South Africa in December 2023, was expected to be part of the team. Similarly, Abhishek Sharma, who impressed in his debut T20I series against Zimbabwe with a century in just his second game, was left out of the T20I squad.

Another surprising exclusion is that of leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal. Chahal was a member of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad last month but did not feature in any of the games. His absence from both the T20I and ODI squads has raised eyebrows.

Harbhajan Singh took to social media to express his bewilderment: "Hard to understand why Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, and Abhishek Sharma are not a part of the Indian team for Sri Lanka," he posted.

This tour will mark Gautam Gambhir's debut as India’s head coach, taking over from Rahul Dravid. Gambhir will lead the team in Sri Lanka, starting with the first T20I at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on July 27. The following T20Is will be played on July 28 and 30 at the same venue, with the ODI series scheduled for August 2, 4, and 7 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.