Virender Sehwag slams BCCI for ‘mismanaging’ Rohit Sharma over non-selection for Australia tour

Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag has come down hard on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) surrounding Rohit Sharm’s exclusion from the T20I, Test and ODI squads for the Australia tour. Sharma sustained a hamstring injury during Mumbai Indians’ (MI) match against the Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in Dubai and then warmed the bench for the next few encounters.

Thereafter he didn’t find a place in the Indian squad, which invariably meant that he wouldn’t be taking any further part in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). However, raising a few eyebrows, he made his way back into the eleven in MI’s last league game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Tuesday, November 3 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Sehwag lashed out, saying that there was clear ‘mismanagement’ on part of the BCCI after Rohit, during the toss, said that he’s ‘fit and fine’. Sehwag didn’t mince any words in saying that the Indian board should have churned out complete information before deciding Rohit’s fate for the Australia tour.

If Rohit Sharma can play the IPL, he should be there in Team India, says Sehwag

“I don’t think that it is possible that Ravi Shastri did not know about Rohit Sharma’s situation. Even if he is not a part of the selection committee, the selectors must have spoken to him a day or two days ago regarding what is he thinking, and taken his feedback and inputs,” Sehwag told on Cricbuzz.

“If he got injured, they could have called in a replacement for him. But he was not kept in India’s squad, this I don’t understand. This is a strange year. Now, what you will do? He played this game against SRH. He will play the playoffs games. He is saying I am fit. Then why didn’t you pick him,” he stated.

“I am surprised to see that a player who is ready to play for the franchise has not been selected to play for the country. This is surprising and mismanagement from the BCCI. They should have taken all the information that if he can play for his IPL team, then he should be kept in the Indian team,” Sehwag added.

Earlier, Sourav Ganguly, the BCCI president, mentioned that Rohit could be included back in the squads provided he’s fit. He also said that the top-order batter can be sent later since flights to Australia are available.