India’s veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is not happy with the way Indian selectors are going about their job. In an interview to NDTV, Harbhajan Singh first blamed selectors for giving extra privilege of MS Dhoni, and then he took Ravichandran Ashwin’s case, who has replaced him as India’s frontline spinner in all three formats of the game.
While speaking to NDTV, Bhajji said that selectors should consider good performances.
“He (Ashwin) was rested for the IPL because he needs to get fit for the Champions Trophy. I understand all of that. But if you do well, you should be rewarded or considered at least. Aisa naheen key humney discuss naheen kiya (It is not that we haven’t discussed it before), next question. Why do we have two different rules for two different people?” Harbhajan Singh asked, in an interview to NDTV.
Bhajji also accused selectors of having two different set of rules for two different people.
“It is not fair to be honest. Why do we play such tournaments (like the IPL)? We play to get selected to play for India. If people are doing well. Let’s talk about Gautam Gambhir. He has the most number of runs consistently. If I talk about myself, yes, you know we all were hoping that we might be somewhere in the mix. But knowing that in my scenario I knew that If Ashwin will be fit then he will be there in the team and if he is not then I have a chance,” Bhajji said.
Bhajji said that chief selectors MSK Prasad had made it clear that an injured player will have to prove his fitness before getting back in the team but he hasn’t followed this rule in Ashwin’s case.
“MSK Prasad, when he had first taken up the position of Chairman of Selectors, had made it clear that no player once injured would be allowed to return to the Indian Team without proving his fitness in a match like situation. But in the case of Ashwin that is unlikely to happen considering he did not play in the IPL and the Champions Trophy is immediately after,” Bhajji was quoted as saying by NDTV.
“Knowing Virat and Anil bhai (Kumble) I’m sure they would not want to have an injured player in the squad. And knowing Ashwin, he is a champion bowler, he will not say that I’m half-fit but take me. He will say if he is feeling a niggle. I wish he is okay and I wish him all the luck to do well in the Champions Trophy.,” Harbhajan concluded.
