Current Selection Panel Low On Experience, Can’t Challenge Ravi Shastri, Virat Kohli, Says Syed Kirmani
Jan 9, 2019 at 3:41 PM
Former India wicketkeeper and ex-chief selector Syed Kirmani feels the current selection panel led by MSK Prasad is not experienced enough to challenge the decisions of head coach Ravi Shastri and captain Virat Kohli.
While the team has fared quite well in the last couple of years, there is no denying that several selection decisions have come under scrutiny. The latest one is obviously the controversy surrounding the exclusion of Karun Nair and Murali Vijay from the Test squad.
Both Nair and Vijay claimed that the selectors did not communicate with them before or after dropping them.
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Nair had claimed he hasn’t had “any conversations” with the India selectors and team management about why he didn’t play in any of the five Tests in England. The right-hander was part of India’s original 18-man squad for the Tests in England. However, he saw Hanuma Vihari called up as a replacement during the series and making his debut in the fifth Test.
There were more surprises for Nair as he surprisingly couldn’t make it to the squad for the ongoing series against West Indies.
On the other hand, Vijay also said that he did not have any communication with the selectors. He made the startling claims after being not included in the Test team for the ongoing series. Vijay was dropped from the Test midway through the Test series in England. The opening batsman had made 20, 6, 0 and 0 in the first two Tests of India’s five-match series in England. He then warmed the bench in third Test before being shown the door for the final two games.
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He, however, soon found his form while playing for Essex in the county championship. The right-handed batsman made scores of 56, 100, 85, 80 and 2. But those performances counted for little as the selectors ignored him. Vijay then spoke about a lack of communication between the selectors and dropped players.
Speaking on the recent controversy, Kirmani told PTI:
“If you ask me Ravi Shastri is the main selector, being the coach. He along with the captain and senior members will discuss and put it across to the selection committee.
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“The current selection committee, with due respect, is inexperienced to these guys (Shastri and Kohli). And they better listen to what the team management wants because they cannot debate with Shastri and Kohli, who have much more experience,” added the 68-year-old.
Well, one cannot disagree completely with Kirmani’s claims. All the five members of the panel played just a handful of international games. Chief selector Prasad represented India in six Tests and 17 ODIs. The other four — Sarandeep Singh (2 Tests, 5 ODIs), Dewang Gandhi (4 Tests, 3 ODIs), Jatin Paranjpe (4 ODIs) and Gagan Khoda (2 ODIs) also featured in just a handful of games.