BCCI official tried stopping MS Dhoni from captaining against Afghanistan
Reports have surfaced that one of the BCCI officials tried to stop ex-Indian cricket team skipper, MS Dhoni, from leading the side in the Asia Cup 2018. With stand-in captain Rohit Sharma and senior batsman Shikhar Dhawan rested for the tie against Afghanistan, Dhoni went on to lead the Indian team. This report has, once again, highlighted the interference of outsiders in team matters.
Why was the official against MS leading against Afghanistan?
According to a report in The Times of India, sources close to the BCCI revealed that an official tried to appoint an interim captain as he was against Dhoni leading the team. The official felt that choosing MS is a step backward for Team India. Dhoni was selected as the skipper due to his seniority and the management wanted to honor him.
This senior BCCI official also interfered in other matters
The report adds that this senior member of the BCCI also interfered in other matters. An unnamed player was handed a Grade B contract on the insistence of this official. The same player, who was selected for the tour of England, failed to impress, but he continues to a part of the side. There have been whispers about this cricketer's spot in the squad.
Selectors were also unhappy with management's decision
Earlier, according to a report, it came to the fore that the selectors weren't also pleased to see so many changes in the fixture against Afghanistan. "The selectors are not pleased that wholesale changes were rung in for the match and both stand-in captain Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Shikhar Dhawan sat out with MS Dhoni forced to be captain again, out of nowhere".
Mithali Raj selection controversy raises more questions
This entire issue came to fore after the recent controversy surrounding women's cricketer Mithali Raj. The senior batswoman had written a scathing letter to the BCCI this week, where she accused coach Ramesh Powar of being unfair. She also lashed out at the CoA member Diana Edulji for showing her brazen support with respect to the decision of dropping her for the WT20 semis.
Consistent issues plague Indian cricket at the moment
The interference of the BCCI official in matters of team selection highlights the issues plaguing the Indian cricket. The selectors have their preferences, the management has its own likes and dislikes and with the officials' involvement, it would become difficult for the Indian captain to field the best XI. The captain should be given complete autonomy on how he wants to rotate his XI.
