The former India head coach stated the need for the captain and coach to have a say in the team selection after his comments that he wasn’t happy with the 2019 ODI World Cup squad.
Ravi Shastri has opened up on his stint as the head coach of the Indian cricket team, where they touched new heights of success in Test cricket. He had earlier made comments to the Times of India that he did not understand why the MSK Prasad-led selection committee picked three wicketkeepers in the squad for the ODI World Cup.
Speaking on a Star Sports show, Shastri said that the team should be picked with the captain and coach involved in the process.
“I think it is extremely important for the coach and the captain to have a say in the team selection, officially going forward.
Especially if the coach is experienced enough. I was, Rahul (Dravid) is, and the captain should also have a say,”
Shastri said.
Earlier, Shastri had said that he did not get the logic behind the selectors picking three wicketkeepers – MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik in the World Cup squad. He added that one of Ambati Rayudu or Shreyas Iyer should have been in the squad instead. Shastri admitted that he never interfered with the selectors’ work and only chipped in when he was asked for feedback.
India reached the semi-finals in the 2019 ODI World Cup but were knocked out by New Zealand. One of the major reasons behind India’s fall was the lack of stability in the middle order, especially not having a regular no. 4 batter. India had marked Rayudu as their number four for the tournament, but he was eventually dropped from the squad.
Sanjay Bangar, who was India’s batting coach, also said that while the selectors have the right to pick the players, they should consult with the coach and captain.
“When you are picking an Indian team I feel that the selectors have the final say but they are also always in discussion with the captain and the head coach.
Whatever decisions are taken, they usually become a collective decision,”
Bangar said on Star Sports.
