Former chairman of the nationwide choice committee, MSK Prasad, was very vocal about his stance on gamers being chosen based mostly on their title, surname, or faith, and mentioned that such a factor by no means occurs in the course of the choice course of. This comes after a politician levied allegations on the Indian coach Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar-led choice panel, accusing them of the non-selection of Sarfaraz Khan owing to the cricketer’s surname.
Talking completely to IANS, Prasad, who was India’s Chief Nationwide Selector from 2016 to 2020, mentioned that the panel by no means exhibits any bias in the direction of a participant based mostly on their faith or group background. He additionally said that those that suppose so ‘do not perceive Indian cricket in any respect.’
“It’s going to by no means occur. When the child bought chosen, overlook Sarfaraz – usually, when a participant is chosen, you do not speak about communities, regionalism, or different stuff. However why do all this stuff come out solely when somebody is dropped? Everyone knows that Sarfaraz Khan has completed exceptionally properly; he has completed properly in home cricket and all. There may very well be some cause that the selectors would come out and inform. I do not actually foresee Sarfaraz being dropped in an India A recreation.
“There have to be a strong cause; it could be any cause, however let the selectors come out and say it. However my opinion on regionalism and communalism being the rationale behind a participant being dropped is totally… ah! I do not suppose I’ve ever come throughout such a factor, as a result of we by no means take the group or a selected faith under consideration when deciding on. The one factor that’s thought-about is a participant’s efficiency. And if somebody is pondering alongside these traces, they’re unsuitable and do not perceive Indian cricket in any respect,” Prasad mentioned.
A political controversy erupted not too long ago when Congress nationwide spokesperson Shama Mohamed accused Indian cricket staff head coach Gambhir, a former Member of Parliament representing the BJP, of spiritual bias after Sarfaraz was overlooked of the India ‘A’ squad for the upcoming sequence towards South Africa ‘A’.
In a publish on backlash.
Nonetheless, Prasad condemned the statements and clarified the state of affairs, stating that the selectors would by no means favor any participant and would select them solely based mostly on their performances and skills.