'Yardsticks seem to have changed' - Venkatesh Prasad slams selectors for resting out-of-form players

Former Indian fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad has criticised Indian management’s current selection policy, stating that the yardsticks seem to have changed “drastically”. He said that, in past times, players were dropped if they were out of form, irrespective of their reputation. He also slammed the current policy of resting players for being out of form, adding that there is no way to progress.

Prasad pointed out that some of the popular former India players such as Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Zaheer Khan, and Harbhajan Singh, have all been dropped when they were out of form. “There was a time when you were out of form, you would be dropped irrespective of reputation. Sourav, Sehwag, Yuvraj, Zaheer, Bhajji all have been dropped when not in form,” wrote Prasad on Twitter.

There is so much talent in the country and cannot play on reputation: Prasad

“They have went back to domestic cricket, scored runs and staged a comeback. The yardsticks seem to have changed drastically now, where there is rest for being out of form,” wrote the former Indian fast bowler.

Changed drastically now, where there is rest for being out of form. This is no way for progress. There is so much talent in the country and cannot play on reputation. One of India’s greatest match-winner, Anil Kumble sat out on so many ocassions, need action’s for the larger good

— Venkatesh Prasad (@venkateshprasad) July 10, 2022

“This is no way for progress. There is so much talent in the country and cannot play on reputation. One of India’s greatest match-winner, Anil Kumble sat out on so many ocassions, need action’s for the larger good,” he added.

India are currently on the England tour and are set to play in a three-match ODI series, starting on July 12, Tuesday. The visitors previously drew the Test series 2-2 and won the T20I series 2-1. India will tour West Indies, later in the month, for three ODIs and five T20Is, and they have already announced the squad for the longer format.

India have rested senior players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah for the ODI series, and Shikhar Dhawan will be leading the team. In 2022, Rohit has scored 350 runs in 14 international matches with an average of 23.33 and Kohli has scored 443 runs, also in 14 international matches, with an average of 26.05. The England tour this month was when Kohli and Rohit first appeared for India, after taking time off cricket post the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, which ended in May.