Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has “respectfully disagreed” with Sunil Gavaskar’s critical observations on India captain Virat Kohli and the selection committee, saying integrity is “a far more important quality” than stature for a selector.
In his syndicated column, batting great Gavaskar had questioned the process of continuing with Kohli as the captain of the side without a review meeting, which is the norm, and called those part of the MSK Prasad-led selection panel “appearing to be lame ducks” and lacking in stature to work with the team management.
Entering the World Cup as one of the overwhelming favourites, India’s campaign ended in the semifinals with a loss to New Zealand.
India, though, won seven of their nine matches in the mega event, and Manjrekar, now a commentator, also pointed to that stat.
“Respectfully disagree with Gavaskar Sir with his views on Indian selectors & Virat being retained as capt. No, Ind did not put in a ‘much below par WC performance’, they won 7 lost two. Last one very narrowly. And integrity a far more important quality as selector than stature,” Manjrekar tweeted.
Coming to terms with the World Cup heartbreak, Kohli will now lead the Indian team in a three-match T20I, three-match ODI and a two-match Test series in Florida and the West Indies.
In his column, Gavaskar had questioned why Kohli was an automatic choice for captaincy following the team’s exit in the World Cup, saying that the selection committee should have reviewed his leadership and the team’s performance.
Gavaskar said it was “incumbent” on the selectors to call a review meeting before picking the squads for the West Indies tour, and hoped the next panel will have players of stature who will “not be bullied” by the team management.
