AFP and Shafali Verma Photo Credit: Getty Images.
Amid the growing speculations on why Shafali Verma hasn't been selected for India women's ongoing ODI series against South Africa, veteran India pacer Jhulan Goswami decided to keep herself away from the subject. After India's 9-wicket win over the Proteas in the second ODI, a journalist asked Jhulan about Shafali's exclusion to which the pacer said that the question should be asked from the selection committee and not from her. 17-year-old batter Shafali has played only 19 T20Is for India so far. Her heroics in the Women's T20 World Cup last year made her the cynosure of all eyes and fetched her plaudits from the greats and veterans of the game.
I’m not a member of the selection committee: Jhulan Goswami
Jhulan refrained herself from replying to the journalist's question who was seeking an answer on why Shafali is not a part of the ODI squad. "I think this question you should ask our selectors. I’m not a member of the selection committee, I’m just a member of the team. Anything regarding Team India, ODIs and today’s match, I’ll do explain, but not regarding selection because that’s not my job, that’s you have to ask selectors," said Jhulan at the post match press-conference on Tuesday.
Diana Edulji surprised that Shafali Verma is not in ODI squad
Former Indian cricketer Diani Edulji said that she was surprised over the decision of the selection committee to leave Shafali out of the ODI squad. According to Edulji, the Women in Blue wouldn't have made in the final of the T20 World Cup last year had there not been Shafali in the team. She feels it would have made "perfect sense" to select the teenage batter for the ongoing series against the Proteas. Later, Edulji also stressed that Shafali is a "rare talent" and hence she should be given enough chances in the one-dayers as well.
India women win ODI after 488 days, beat South Africa women by 9 wickets in second game