81 All Out - A Cricket Podcast

What we talk about when we talk about selection

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The crew chats about the idea of selecting a cricket team, and debates how one can have a meaningful conversation about an inherently unfair process. Should selectors be more transparent about the reasoning behind their choices? Is there a process by which we can judge a good selection? And how can anyone justify the selection of the Indian team when anything less than a victory in a global tournament (or marquee Test series) is deemed a failure? 


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Talking Points:

  • How does one have a meaningful debate about selection? 
  • Does the selection (or non-selection) of one player have a big impact on results? 
  • Will it help us understand the process better if selectors explain the rationale for their choices?
  • What was the cricketing logic behind Vijay Shankar's selection for the 2019 World Cup? 
  • What are selectors looking for when they earmark a player as an India prospect?
  • Is there anything that can be termed an 'outrageous selection' ?
  • Does Sarfaraz Khan know why he is not being picked for India? Does it matter?
  • Are selection debates essentially about 'who are the 11 players I like the most'?
  • Pre 2011, should Yuvraj and Raina played more Tests than Badrinath and Rohit?
  • The difference between Karn Sharma over Ashwin, Shardul over Ashwin, and Jadeja over Ashwin
  • Is Shardul Thakur an extraordinary Test selection - or merely a lucky one?


    • Participants:

    Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee)

    Mahesh Sethuraman (@cornerd)

    Kartikeya Date (@cricketingview) | Substack | ESPNcricinfo page

    Ashoka (@ABVan)

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    Related:

    • Why selection in India is not illogical or capricious, contrary to popular opinion - Kartikeya Date - ESPNcricinfo
    • What more can Sarfaraz Khan do to get selected for India? - Sidharth Monga - ESPNcricinfo
    • R Ashwin opens up on WTC drop and on being ‘traumatised’ in the past - Venkata Krishna B - Indian Express 
    • ‘Batting is now less artistic, more power-based’ – 81allout podcast with Amol Muzumdar
    • Watching, studying, writing, talent-spotting: a life in cricket - 81allout podcast with Makarand Waingankar
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