India vs Windies: Virat Kohli bungles up with the number of selectors ahead of the first Test

After a forgetful Test series in England, India had an opportunity to make amends and strengthen their No.1 position in the format. Virat Kohli was back in the squad after the much-needed rest and the hosts clearly started the series as favourites. There were a few changes in the squad with Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal getting a call-up while Karun Nair was surprisingly left out of the 15-man squad.

The skipper while addressing the pre-match press conference in Rajkot on Wednesday bungled up with the number of selectors team India has. While answering a question on Karun Nair’s omission, Kohli said that the three selectors are doing their job and he does not select the squad for a series. He went on to talk about “three selectors” more than once but it is a matter of fact that team India now has five selectors as Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjape were added to the selection panel in the month of August.

“The selectors have already spoken about it and it is not my place to say. There are three selectors who are doing their job and as I say, people conveniently merge everything and make it a circle… where everyone’s given that opportunity or doing their job, not focussing on what’s happening or being spoken on the outside. So if a person has spoken about a certain thing, it should be cleared then. It shouldn’t be brought in here again.” Kohli had said in the press conference on Wednesday.

Lodha panel recommendations

As per the recommendations of the Lodha panel, only players who have played the longest format of the game were eligible to keep their job as selectors. As a result, Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjpe were removed from the selection panel in January 2017. However, in the month of August, the Supreme court modified reforms, thus allowing the duo to make a comeback.

At present the selection panel comprises of Sarandeep Singh, Devang Gandhi, Gagan Khoda, Jatin Paranjpe and MSK Prasad who is the head of the panel. Prasad replaced Roger Binny in 2015 due to conflict of interest issue as Stuart Binny, his son, was a member of the national team then.

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