2025 Mar 14, 14:12
In a surprising turn of events, fan voting has determined the team selection for the year-end team. The process was seemingly straightforward, as players with more fan votes secured a spot on the team. However, it seems that emotionally-driven fans overwhelmingly voted for all available Indian players, revealing a significant bias. An astonishing 70 percent of the votes came from India, clearly influencing the final outcome
Former India coach, Shastri, expressed his disbelief at the team selection, stating that it seemed like only Indians were voting. He questioned the exclusion of players like Rashid Khan, Mitchell Marsh, and Quinton de Kock, emphasizing the importance of a well-balanced team. Shastri believed that the combination of Jadeja and Rashid would have been ideal across all surfaces. The selected team includes Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as openers, followed by Virat Kohli at 3 and Daryl Mitchell at No
4. KL Rahul and Heinrich Klaasen make up the middle order, while Adam Zampa takes the No. 7 spot. Kuldeep Yadav and the Indian fast-bowling trio of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and Jasprit Bumrah complete the XI
Notably absent from the team are players like Glenn Maxwell, David Miller, Aiden Markram, and Mitchell Starc. Even Quinton de Kock, who bid farewell to ODI cricket with an impressive World Cup, failed to impress fans. Rashid Khan and Shaheen Afridi also did not make the cut. Former South African quick, Philander, shared his disappointment with the selection, noting that players like de Kock, Markram, Miller, and Maxwell deserved a spot
With so many talented players to choose from, it is clear that the fan voting process has generated some controversy and debate. While the Indians have made their mark, other exceptional players have been left out. The final XI reflects the influence of fan bias, raising questions about the validity of such voting systems.