IPL 2019: Is it right to influence selection decisions for the World Cup based on IPL form?
Every year, there is an event in world cricket known as the IPL. It is the most viewed T20 league on the planet, and the cricket boards of most nations even have a specific time slot reserved for it. Every four years, the ICC Cricket World Cup takes place.
All participating countries put deep thought on their squads for the marquee event. This year, the World cup is scheduled just after the IPL. The ICC mandates a squad of no more than 15 players, and thus many players tend to miss out on the basis of lackluster performances in the IPL.
However, even as selectors said that IPL performances would have no effect on the World Cup selections, it's inevitable to raise some questions regarding some of the choices that have been made.
Ambati Rayudu is a name that instantly comes to mind. By just failing in two series against Australia, he was ignored by the selection committee. Was he really just dropped based on the results of these two series, despite doing well in the intermediary tour of New Zealand?
Surely the selectors would not ignore his past achievements on the basis of only a few games. Perhaps, what could have influenced the selection panel even slightly was the wretched form he was in during the IPL.
However, is it really right to overshadow months of performing in ODI cricket with a player's performances in some weeks of T20 franchise cricket? Surely, it is essential for players to be in form for significant events like these.
But, as the saying goes, "Form is temporary, but class is permanent."
Case in point: during India's long away season last year, it had to be noted that Rohit Sharma was horribly out of form for the first half of 2018. His poor form continued into the IPL where he averaged a miserly 23 with the bat. Even this was only possible due to two brilliant innings of 94 and 56.
But post the IPL, he immediately struck form scoring a brutal 97. He followed that performance up with a century in the T20I series against England and another century in the subsequent ODI series. He ended the year as the second highest run-getter behind Virat Kohli in ODI cricket. Would anyone have thought of this during the IPL?
Would team India have performed as well as they did if Rohit Sharma didn't play?
Another cricketer who has proved this point is Mohammed Shami. He had a torrid time with the ball throughout the entire course of the IPL. So unimpressive was his form and mindset that Delhi Daredevils dropped him halfway into the tournament. But he regrouped himself and was one of the success stories of the Test series' in England and Australia.
Would anyone have expected these performances post the IPL? How vital were his performances in India's Test series win in Australia?
On the other side of the coin, there are players such as KL Rahul. Following a splendid IPL 2018 where he amassed more than 650 runs in 14 innings, he was included in the tour of England. During that tour, he was effective in the T20 International series, but his form fizzled out during the ODI series and most of the Test series.
His poor form continued throughout the rest of 2018 where he was eventually dropped for the third Test against Australia. Throughout the entire duration of the year, he was in poor form, save one T20 innings.
Would anyone have expected such a miserly show out of him post the IPL?
At the same time, some players convert their IPL form into international and secure their places in the sides. A player who comes to mind immediately is Dinesh Karthik. He made his most recent comeback to the national side on the basis of exceptional performances in the IPL and was included for the 2017 tour of West Indies. He took advantage of these opputunities and established himself into the squad.
The IPL is a great platform to judge a player’s worth and while there should be some emphasis on form, a player's performance in six weeks of a franchise cricket tournament should not affect their selection too badly.
The only situation wherein selection should be affected is provided that there is tough competition for one slot. In this case, the IPL form was perhaps used to make a final descision with regard to Rayudu.
Hence, while it may be cruel on some players for being dropped based on IPL form, there are also a couple of players who failed to sustain form post the IPL. Thus, it should be safer to make bold decisions based on the IPL form during a regular bilateral series, and not right before a marquee event like the World Cup.