'I had personally explained the roadmaps for his future comebacks' - MSK Prasad responds to Suresh Raina's 'more responsibility' comment

The out of favour India cricketer Suresh Raina recently expressed his disappointment over the MSK Prasad-led selection committee for not handling the senior players well during their tenure. Raina himself went down the pecking order in the last few years having last played for India during the 2018 England tour which was also his comeback to the national side.

But he couldn’t impress the selectors in a few opportunities and was dropped eventually from the team. It also dashed his World Cup hopes. However, MSK Prasad has now responded to his claims stating that he had personally spoken to the left-hander and had explained him how he can make a comeback in the future. He also claimed that Raina had praised him then and was surprised that the same person is making exactly contrary statements.

“I had personally spoken to Raina calling him to my room and explained him the roadmap for his future comebacks. He had, back then, appreciated my efforts. I am really surprised when I have heard things which are exactly contrary to what had happened,” Prasad was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

He was not in good form in domestic cricket, says MSK Prasad

The former chief selector also pointed out that Suresh Raina wasn’t in good form in domestic circuit in the 2018-19 season to warrant a place back in the national side. The Uttar Pradesh player could muster only 243 runs in five matches in the Ranji Trophy with a couple of fifties. However, he fared a little better in the Vijay Hazare Trophy scoring 208 run in six outings with three half-centuries and an average of 41.6.

But there were players who performed extremely well and consistently and had to be considered according to MSK Prasad. He also cited VVS Laxman‘s example for the way he had scored a plethora of runs in domestic cricket after he was axed in 1999. “Unfortunately, we didn’t see that form here in Raina’s case in domestic cricket while other youngsters emerged at the big stage with their brilliant performances in domestic cricket and India A.

“See VVS Laxman, when he was dropped from the Indian Test squad in 1999, he forced himself back by scoring over 1400 runs in domestic cricket. This is what is expected from senior players when they are dropped,” the 45-year-old added.