“We have a complete Test team,” says M.S.K. Prasad, whose tenure as chairman of selectors ends next month.
Here to watch the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament, Prasad spoke about his time at the helm for the past three years, a period in which India became the No. 1 Test side in the world.
Fantastic
“Every generation throws up one or two good teams, but this is a complete team,” said Prasad. “Being at the top of the ICC Test rankings for the last few years is a fantastic thing, but it is not just about numbers. We have built a team for all formats.
"We have a set team in Tests and ODIs. In T20Is, we haven’t played that much and now that we are playing a lot more, I am sure three to four months before the next World T20, our team will be fully set.”
The committee he headed began its tenure with the long-term vision of building a team that could win across formats, he said.
“To some extent, we could do that in Australia. The results in South Africa and England didn’t go in our favour but the way we fought, it could have been anybody's game.
"We have built a winning culture and today no team — England, New Zealand or Australia — will give us seaming tracks. That is the scare we have created,” he said.
"What is more heartening is we have a healthy bench-strength with the likes of Navdeep Saini and Mohammed Siraj waiting in the wings. That will be our legacy. I am sure the bench-strength we have will last the next six to seven years,” he said.
The former India wicketkeeper also backed Prithvi Shaw and Rishabh Pant to bounce back strongly.
“Everyone knows what he (Shaw) is capable of. We have been following him and has done well since his comeback. We will keep a close watch and by the time the New Zealand series comes up, I am sure he will be in good shape to stake a claim,” he said.
“With Rishabh, we keep talking to him regularly and we are making sure he is in a good space. He is full of talent and he will only go up the ladder from this low period,” Prasad said.
The committee has faced a lot of flak for some of its decisions, and lack of communication, especially when R. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were dropped after the 2017 Champions Trophy.
Prasad shot back: “Why do you think we have not communicated? I ensured that all the selectors met Ashwin and Jadeja. Post CT in 2017, the entire selection team spoke to Ashwin and Jadeja before taking the call.”
