MSK Prasad justifies Mayank Agarwal’s non selection for the Nidahas Trophy

Mayank Agarwal has been going through a purple patch in the Indian domestic cricket. The Karnataka cricketer has hemorrhaged runs at will and ended the season as the batsman with most runs in a single season of Indian domestic cricket. The opener has recently played a stupendous knock of 90 runs off 79 balls against Saurashtra and guided Karnataka to victory in the Final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Delhi.

However, the opening batsman hasn’t been included in India’s squad for the upcoming triangular T20 series against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The decision raised quite a few eyebrows bearing in mind Agarwal’s stupendous form. Recently an official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said that the batsman needs to represent India A squad before making his debut in the senior squad. Chief Selector, MSK Prasad also spoke to the media and justified his decision of overlooking Agarwal.

Prasad’s justification

“No player should be confused about where he stands. Our committee speaks to every player — even those who are to selected and try to give them a fair picture. Accordingly, I spoke to Mayank and told him that with his brilliant performances in domestic cricket, he has now definitely got himself in the mix (national team reckoning). I told him that he is now in the queue,” the selector was quoted as saying by Times Now.

The former Indian wicket-keeper batsman also mentioned about India’s selection process. “We have followed a pattern in our selection process. Each and every national contender is in the queue and we don’t believe that anyone can jump the queue. Mayank is a wonderful kid and he completely understood what I explained to him. He told me ‘Sir, you are spot on and ‘I am not in a hurry at all’,” Prasad added.

The Nidahas Trophy begins on March 6 between India and Sri Lanka at the iconic R.Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. India has been in top form in their erstwhile ODI and T20I series against South Africa and will be looking to replicate their form in the tri-series.