‘He doesn’t have any say in selection meetings’ – Sarandeep Singh on Ravi Shastri’s comments regarding India’s 2019 World Cup squad selection

Former Team India selector Sarandeep Singh has put forth his opinions on Ravi Shastri’s comments on the 2019 World Cup squad selection. Shastri had earlier said that he couldn’t comprehend India going in with as many as three keepers – MS Dhoni, Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik – for the mega event. He also said that he “had no say” in Ambati Rayudu’s exclusion from the team.

Vijay Shankar was picked in Rayudu’s place as the selectors believed that the former brought in a lot of utility due to his all-round abilities. Singh, who worked under MSK Prasad in the selection panel, backed Shastri and agreed to what the former India coach had to say. Singh, also a former national cricketer, said that Shastri didn’t play any role in selection meetings.

He can say anything to Virat about what he wants, says Sarandeep Singh

“Ravi Shastri is right that the coach does not have any say in the selection meeting but the selection committee goes to the ground, speaks to the captain and head coach and tells them about the plans and we also ask what they want. If there is any player you are asking for. If you look at the last few years, we are winning almost every bilateral series,” Sarandeep was quoted as saying in NDTV.

“He can say anything to Virat about what he wants. Sometimes it happens that we feel differently but at the end of the day we are always on the same page. For four years we never had different thoughts with Ravi bhai and he is a good coach also. He listens to us all the time. So, suddenly if something like this came up, we always sat together and were always on the same page,” he added.

India had a great outing in the league stage of the tournament, having only lost to England. However, New Zealand defeated them in the semi-final at the Old Trafford in Manchester in a game that was played over two days due to bad weather conditions. The tournament also turned out to be Dhoni’s last for Team India after which he retired in August 2020.