T20 World Cup – 5 Former Selectors ask questions on Hardik Pandya Fitness Fiasco – The knives are out after India’s campaign ended in just group-stage. While the slow pitches, dew and poor performances played a key role, selectors can’t avoid the aftermath either. The biggest question is why Hardik Pandya was picked when he was injured. While the BCCI is seeking a report on the fiasco, former selectors such as MSK Prasad, Sarandeep Singh and Ashish Kapoor have also raised valid questions.
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- Why was Hardik Pandya picked when he was injured?
- Did the selectors not know about Hardik Pandya’s fitness?
- Why make drastic changes to playing XI after just one match?
- Why drop Rohit Sharma to No 3 when he is one of the best T20 batsmen around?
- What role MS Dhoni play as a mentor?
- Did MS Dhoni have a say in the team selection?
T20 World Cup: 5 former selectors question team selection, say ‘Chairman of selectors has no idea if Hardik is fit or not’
Former selector Sarandeep Singh said he is doubtful whether the chairman of the selection committee Chetan Sharma was aware of Hardik Pandya’s injury.
MSK Prasad, who was also targeted by fans due to a lack of clarity on MS Dhoni’s selection and retirement plans, said Hardik’s selection as a pure batter created a disbalance in the team.
InsideSport takes a look at what former selectors have to say about the selection debacle in the T20 World Cup.
T20 World Cup: 5 former selectors question team selection, say ‘Chairman of selectors has no idea if Hardik is fit or not’
Sarandeep Singh to InsideSport
So, many people are asking about Hardik Pandya but this answer has to be given by the Chairman of the selection committee because when he did the selection committee meeting and after that, in an interview, he said Hardik Pandya is fully fit. He is going to bowl in the IPL and the world cup.
When he did not bowl over there then the selectors have to come out and answer that what happened and what went wrong. Why did you say on-air on TV that he is going to bowl? This means that the Chairman of selectors has no idea whether Hardik Pandya is fit or not. Even if the team management demands his selection then he should answer it.
You cannot keep on changing the playing eleven. What happened you bring in Ishan Kishan and you made him bat as an opener and you make Rohit Sharma bat at number three who is one of the best batters of white-ball cricket? There was no correct planning. We played Ishan Kishan that’s fine but you can make him bat at number four as he is a big hitter so let him play Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner the left-arm spinners. Why did he open I did not understand.
T20 World Cup: 5 former selectors question team selection, say ‘Chairman of selectors has no idea if Hardik is fit or not’
Kirti Azad to InsideSport:
“When we lose a lot of speculations and a lot of criticism comes in and you got to accept the fact that as I said earlier winning and losing is a part and parcel of the game. They are two sides of the same coin ad the other thing is that I can answer it both ways. Why was he played when he was not fit because you always have a cushion of an extra bowler while playing T20 and also we can say that if your five bowlers can’t do anything then how can you expect in a short format of 20 overs that you would expect a sixth bowler to do well. I can say that he is a good batsman and he showed that in the next game how he batted and how he performed.”
Ashish Kapoor to InsideSport:
If you had a lot of options in all-rounders probably they might have not taken this decision. Because there is a dearth of pace bowling all-rounders in India. You have the next guy is Vijay Shankar. Hardik Pandya was batting. At least he was playing IPL. He was playing those matches. So, maybe they would have thought that he will get fit in time for his bowling as well for the world cup. Yes, he also came and bowled in the last game. Bowling in matches over a period of time and then getting the rhythm is very different than bowling a few balls in the nets.
T20 World Cup: 5 former selectors question team selection, say ‘Chairman of selectors has no idea if Hardik is fit or not’
MSK Prasad:
“Hardik has been picked as an all-rounder, not as a batsman. He is seen an all-rounder, who will add that what you call balance to the side. It is a little surprising that, or I don’t know whether he is being instructed, not to bowl or he is being preserved to bowl only in the World Cup. I don’t know what exactly the thought process is because selectors must be knowing it, or the Board must be knowing it, but Hardik, if he doesn’t bowl then there will be little, I mean, the balance of the side will get a little affected,” he told PTI.
Sandeep Patil:
“Hardik’s selection in the XI is up to the captain and the coach, and only the BCCI will know about it. But basically, if a player is not fit, then it comes to the selectors. If he didn’t bowl in the entire IPL, the selectors should have taken a call. They should have asked for a fitness test before including him in the team for the World Cup,” Patil told TOI.
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