Xtra Time Web Desk: Is everything associated with the Indian cricket team going smoothly? Well the turnout of events in recent times does not indicate so. It all started with the exclusion of Murali Vijay and Karun Nair from the test squad following which they shared their dissent in media.
Sensing the situation getting out of control, the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) will be meeting the Indian captain Virat Kohli and Coach Ravi Shastri in Hyderabad on October 11. The meeting basically will be to discuss the poor show of the Indian team in England. Kohli and his boys were humiliated 1-4 in the recently concluded test series in England.
Karun Nair and Murali Vijay’s exclusion from the test team sparked controversies. Karun has been there with the test squad from the Tour of South Africa. Despite being with the Indian team for last 8 tests (including England) the Karnataka batsman, somewhat surprisingly didn’t get a single opportunity while other batsmen in the team failed. He was also unceremoniously dropped from the squad against West Indies at home. Tamil Nadu opener Murali Vijay too did not find favours with the selectors. Both Nair and Vijay claimed that the selectors didn’t speak to them before dropping them, but Selector in Chief MSK Prasad denied all the allegations and stated that the players were informed. It is learnt that CoA wants an appropriate answer regarding this matter.
According to the senior BCCI official who do not want to be quoted said the selectors are like puppets in front of Ravi Shastri and Virat Kohli. The selection committee does not have the courage to challenge the decision taken by Shastri and Kohli, though they both denied their role in the recent selection issues.
The source also disclosed a rift between Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. Rohit, who led the Indian team to Asia Cup win recently, has failed to find favours with Kohli. It was expected that the Mumbai batsman will sneak in the test squad against West Indies after his solid performance in Dubai, but he was neglected for some reason.
Rohit did not play KL Rahul (considered to be close with Virat) in the group league matches until the inconsequential tie against Afghanistan where the team made five changes. Rahul, who was coming back after a brilliant hundred at Oval only got into the playing XI after the intervention of Ravi Shatsri.
According to sources, Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan are not happy with the team management’s decision of too many chopping and changes in the middle order, especially with the World Cup which is just seven months away. In his pre tournament press conference in Dubai, Rohit did share his thoughts. Dhawan as well was dropped from the test team after a poor show in England.
With Shikhar getting close to Rohit, Kohli did not waste a moment to have the support of vice captain Ajinkya Rahane. Even few months back the Mumbai batsman was not in favour of Virat during the tour of South Africa when he was not kept in the playing XI for the first two test matches. But with the circumstances the two find themselves together.
With just a few months away for the World Cup, Indian cricket fans would hope all concerned parties meet together and get the issues resolved in the interest of Indian cricket.