The MSK Prasad-led selection panel has often drawn flak from cricket experts and former cricketers for their approach. And the latest to join the list is former India all-rounder, Yuvraj Singh.
Yuvraj, who retired from international cricket in June this year, believes that there is an absolute need for better selectors, who will be able to back their players in the longer run.
“We do need better selectors, for sure. Selectors’ job is not easy. Whenever they select 15 players, there will be talks that what will happen to the other 15. It’s a difficult job but their thinking in terms of modern-day cricket is not up to the mark. It’s my opinion,” Yuvraj was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.
In the past, fingers have been raised on the selection policies, and Yuvi feels that it is important to give the players a longer run.
“I am always in favor of protecting the players and being positive about them. By talking negatively about your players and team doesn’t show you in a true light. The character only shows when things are going wrong and you motivate the players. We definitely need better selectors,” the southpaw added.
Back up players
Yuvraj also opines that even the team management needs to back the players, even if they are going through rough patches.
“Everybody has to be supportive of the players. Jeet rahein hain toh yeh haal hain, haar rahe hote toh kya hota (This is the state when we are winning, wonder how it would be if we were to lose)? Here, when you lose nobody tells you anything but when you win, people start talking. The support staff and the selectors need to be supportive of their players,” the 37-year-old said.
The current India selection committee has failed to identify a regular batsman for the number 4 spot and that’s something which hurt the Men in Blue in the 2019 World Cup – where the World No. 2 ODI team crashed out in the semifinals.
“We need to find a No. 4. We actually need to find No. 4 and respect the No. 4 batsman and give him a longer run. Every day some No. 4 is batting and we have some loose statements about that player. After me, it was (Ambati) Rayadu, who played for whole year, then he got drooped last minute, now Rishabh (Pant) played well at No. 4 and there are remarks about him that he is not doing well, so how are you going to find a No. 4 bastman?” Yuvraj questioned the selectors.
“You are not going to find a No. 4 by criticizing or dropping him, you have to support these young guys whether it is Rishabh or Shreyas (Iyer) or any other batsman,” he added.
