"Selectors Are Not Gods": Ex-India Star's Blunt Take On Sarfaraz Khan's Omission From India Test Squad
Sarfaraz Khan was ignored by the selectors for the upcoming Test series in West Indies.
Despite piling up runs in domestic cricket over the last three years or so, Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan was ignored by the selectors for the upcoming Test series in West Indies. Not only that but Sarfaraz's non-selection has also raised a furore over the sanctity of domestic cricket. To clear their stance, the selection committee said that the reason behind Sarfaraz's omission has more to do with his fitness and behaviour, rather than performance. Former India women's team coach WV Raman has shared his views on the debate.
Raman feels the selectors are not trying to find faults in Sarfaraz, adding that they are not gods.
"There were some views expressed supposedly by the selection committee with regards to his (Sarfaraz's) non-inclusion. One of them seems to be that he needs to improve his ability to play against fast bowling and the other thing seems to be that he needs to improve on his fitness and fielding as well. Somebody can turn around and ask me, what is it that they are trying to convey and do they think they are gods? No, they are not gods. They are not trying to really find faults with Sarfaraz Khan," Raman said in a video uploaded on Aakash Chopra's YouTube channel.
The 58-year-old revealed that in a selection committee it is the norm to discuss a cricketer's behaviour on and off the field.
"What happens generally is that in a selection committee meeting, they not only see the numbers that a cricketer has put up, they also try and discuss about the various things that they might have detected in a cricketer's framework of technique or his attitude, or the perceived ability of a cricketer with regard to international cricket. That's exactly what this committee has done. They feel that Sarfaraz Khan may perhaps not be up to it when it comes to facing international fast bowlers. These kinds of judgemental calls are the norm in selection committee meetings. This has been done before, this committee has done it and it will also be done in the future," he signed off.
India Cricket Team
West Indies Cricket Team