Gautam Gambhir slams MSK Prasad directly on live chat over 2019 WC selection

MSK Prasad was recently replaced by Sunil Joshi as the chief selector of the Indian cricket team. During MSK Prasad’s tenure in the committee, one of the most talked-about points was the Indian team selection for the 2019 World Cup in England. Prior to the quadrennial event, the selection committee selected all-rounder Vijay Shankar instead of regular no.4 batsman Ambati Rayadu.

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Gautam Gambhir slams MSK Prasad for 2019 World Cup debacle

The Indian team was considered as one of the favourites to lift the World Cup 2019 in England. While they topped the round-robin stage with seven wins in eight completed matches, their batting order faltered in the semi-final and as a result, India crashed out of the tournament after a defeat against New Zealand. Former Indian cricketer and 2011 World Cup hero Gautam Gambhir recently slammed MSK Prasad in person during a recent appearance on Star Sports’ Cricket Connected.

Both Gautam Gambhir and MSK Prasad conversed on the show along with former chief selector Krishnamachari Srikkanth. In the conversation, Gambhir emphasised the need of captain Virat Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri to have a say in all selection matters. The left-handed batsman also slammed MSK Prasad for picking Vijay Shankar and snubbing no.4 specialist Ambati Rayadu, even though the latter was batting at the position for two years prior to the tournament.

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In a scathing statement, Gautam Gambhir further addressed MSK Prasad directly by saying that the selection committee was supposed to spot one batting position but they failed to do the same. The former Indian cricketer also criticised Prasad’s justifying statement of picking Shankar because the all-rounder was a “three-dimensional” player. The former chief selector then justified his selection by saying that the committee picked a batsman who can bowl a bit in English conditions because the top-order was already filled with “pure batsmen”. Prasad urged Gambhir and Indian fans to move on from that incident, not giving a justified explanation of his controversial move.

Gambhir also told Srikanth and Prasad that only an experienced player should be given the post of the chief selector due to being empathic about selection matters especially when a player is dropped from the team, which is a direct dig at Prasad.

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When Yuvraj Singh had echoed Gautam Gambhir in the past

Before Gautam Gambhir’s on-air criticism of the former selection committee, former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh also spoke on the same vein. In April, Singh had apprised that there is a dire need for selectors who will be able to back Indian players in the long run. Yuvraj Singh was of the opinion that the Indian team needed better selectors and the thinking of the MSK Prasad-led selection committee was not up to the required standards.

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