Champions Trophy: Gautam Gambhir feels IPL performance isn't a criteria for ODI comeback

New Delhi, May 8: At a time when his fans are venting their anger over selection committee for ignoring Gautam Gambhir in the India squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2017, the veteran cricketer has an entirely different opinion on this issue.

CT 17 Schedule; Full list of Squads; India squad for CT 17

As per the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper, who is the third highest run scorer in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2017, a batsman's T20 performance shouldn't be a considered while picking up an ODI squad. (Gambhir fans irked)

"T20 runs should only be a criteria to get selected for a T20 side. The moment you start picking players in the one-day format by their T20 performance, then you are giving your domestic 50-over competitions absolutely no relevance," Gambhir was, earlier, quoted by ESPNCricinfo as saying.

The southpaw opener is in tremendous form in the ongoing cash-rich league and several cricket enthusiasts were shocked to hear when out-of-form Shikhar Dhawan was picked up by the selectors in the 15-member India squad for Champions Trophy 2017.

Talking about his performance in the ongoing league he said he doesn't thinks too much about his individual performances in the IPL for it would be selfish to do well in IPL and hope for a comeback in 50-over format.

"The moment I start thinking about me scoring runs to be part of the Champions Trophy team, it would be a very, very selfish thing to do. And being a leader you can't do that. If I start thinking on those lines, there may be so many other guys in the [KKR] team who would be thinking of being in the Champions Trophy squad too and they would be thinking about their own individual performances then. That's not right. You should always stay in the present. Rest of the things are byproducts - if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't happen, it is fine. Ultimately I don't play to get selected, I play to win a game of cricket," Gambhir added further.

Gambhir has scored 425 runs from 12 games while Dhawan has scored 388 runs from 11 games.

Virat Kohli will be leading the senior Indian team for the first time in an ICC event after MS Dhoni stepped down as the skipper of India's limited-overs team, earlier this year.

Defending Champions India will be playing their first game against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 4.

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