1/n: India's #cricket series in Australia showed why @BCCI needs a data junkie in selection panel. Siraj’s Ranji bowling avg is 23.9 in 41 matches (Bumrah=23.7). No Indian fast bowler comes close. Siraj got in due to injuries. Data junkie would have selected Siraj earlier.

2/n: KL Rahul is a killer in domestic T20 (avg 43 at SR 138) & no-brainer for T20. But @mayankcricket is exceptional in domestic ODI (avg 47.50; SR 100). Yet Mayank's ODI debut at age 28. Mayank would have been data junkie’s preferred opener in ODIs including 2019 WC in England

3/n People assumed @RishabhPant17's aggressive stroke play make him more suitable for ODI than test. But domestic ODI avg is 29 (OK) & Ranji batting record is exceptional (avg 50). Data junkie knew well before this series that Pant will be a star test batsman.

4/n: Data junkie knew @RealShubmanGill’s Ranji batting avg is 66.55 (yes believe it, although from just 26 matches). Data junkie didn’t need injuries to give Gill chance. He was averaging in mid-40s in domestic ODIs in early 2019.

5/n: Data junkie would have chosen @RealShubmanGill and/or @RayuduAmbati for middle order batsman for 2019 WC. With a solid middle order, India would have won 2019 World Cup.

6/n: This is old news. Data showed that @YUVSTRONG12 would be exceptional in ODI (which he was) but that’d likely not translate into test success. Yet, he & other ODI giants were persisted at the expense of @ImRo45 , @cheteshwar1 & @ajinkyarahane88.

7/n: Data junkie would have given these upcoming talents a chance sooner. Data isn’t everything but it’s a valuable tool to make such decisions. Baseball (Moneyball) has shown it works well in sports. BCCI would do well to develop the best data program in cricket.

8/n: Obviously data should be a tool not the decision-maker. Why data helps: (i) People confuse success in 1 format with another format, (ii) People are biased against newcomers (vs proven successes). happens in many industries (eg movies). Human nature but data can address both.

I should add here that Bumrah's test debut itself was unnecessarily delayed. All the data showed he'd be an exceptional test bowler.