No explanation from Virat Kohli can sufficiently explain why Parvez Rasool was not given a chance to play even one of the five ODIs against Zimbabwe.
He could have been included in the last ODI as a batsman if not bowler as he is an all-rounder. Was Rasool not good enough for even a dead rubber game, that too against a weak side like Zimbabwe?
T.R. Lakshmanan,
Kozhikode
It is unfortunate that the Rasool issue is being blown out of proportion. To me and millions of cricket fans like me, Rasool is a cricketer. We do not care to which State he belongs. When he proves that he is required for Team India, nobody can stop him from playing. Picking the playing 11 should be left to the captain. We have seen great players benched even after performing exceedingly well. Let us see cricket as cricket and nothing more than that.
N. Nagasubramanian,
Chennai
Rasool will surely find cricketing success due to his hard work and talent. He does not need the help of Omar Abdullah or others. Sports is not politics, even though it has been corrupted by politicians. Ambati Rayudu, under whose captaincy India won the Under-19 World Cup in 1994, was hailed as the next Sachin Tendulkar. Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa, Irfan Pathan and many others who played under him played for the national senior team while Rayudu was ostracised by selectors for non-cricketing reasons. Out of frustration, he joined ICL, which gave the BCCI even more reason to continue harassing him, until he got his much-delayed chance last month. A brilliant talent was killed for a decade. Nobody tweeted for him.
B. Vinod Kumar,
Bangalore
