‘Hotel Mein Hi Photoshoot Kar Lete’: BCCI Faces Backlash After Ayush Badoni’s Gutka Background Photo Goes Viral On Social Media

The young Indian cricketer Ayush Badoni, on one hand, grabbed the spotlight with his first India ODI call up and, on the other hand, with a controversial photo that did not go unnoticed and raised questions about the professionalism of the BCCI. Badoni was chosen as a substitute for the injured Washington Sundar in the ongoing New Zealand vs India ODI series.

Cricket Fans Troll BCCI, Noticing The ‘Gutka’ Marks Background Of Ayush Badoni Picture

Nevertheless, social media users soon turned their attention to an unofficial Badoni photo shoot, which seemingly showed the player posing in front of a wall discolored with gutka, a common Indian chewing tobacco, and thus leading people to wonder why that particular spot was chosen for such an official picture. The critics referred to the incident as a blunder and pointed their fingers to the lack of planning by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which has been described as the richest sports organization in the world. 

Ayush Badoni’s Selection To The Team Of India vs New Zealand

Apart from that, the selection of Badoni has been a topic of debate among cricket fans. Some people even said that the boy had not enough skills to enter the ODI squad and proposed the names of players like Riyan Parag or Rinku Singh, or even the ones having more recognition and success in the domestic circuit. Former India captain and selector Kris Srikkanth went as far as to call Badoni’s selection ‘absolutely unfair,’ while accusing of favoritism and inconsistent criteria, pointing finger at his not so great impact and form as the main reasons he should not have been named in the squad. On the other hand, Team India’s batting coach was of a different opinion and stood by the decision to include Badoni, as he was the one who had the ability to score runs and bowl off-spin, thus he was right to only play the all rounder role abandoned by Sundar. 

Will Ayush Badoni Get A Chance In The IND vs NZ 3rd ODI?

The selection choices during the second ODI, on top of the discussion, sparked further debates. Badoni was included in the squad but India’s playing XI saw Nitish Kumar Reddy instead, which made some fans doubt that the team management, with head coach Gautam Gambhir included, was influenced by internal preferences or past associations rather than on merit. With the series going to its last match in Indore, fans are still looking closely at both Badoni’s part and the wider selection policy, highlighting how a viral photo and selection dispute can very quickly take over cricket talks together with players’ performances.

Also Read: India vs New Zealand: 3 Reasons Why Nitish Kumar Reddy Still Deserves A Place In The Playing XI