While Mahendra Singh Dhoni has had a dream run as the skipper of the Indian team, he's had a topsy-turvy relationship with the selection panel, headed by K Srikkanth.
While Mahendra Singh Dhoni has had a dream run as the skipper of the Indian team, he's had a topsy-turvy relationship with the selection panel, headed by K Srikkanth.
Dhoni's bitter relationship with the selectors, which had come to the fore during the RP Singh-Irfan Pathan saga in the home ODI series against England last November, was once again displayed yesterday when the Indian skipper declined to comment on the selectors' decision to go into the World Twenty20 without a reserve wicketkeeper.
"Hopefully I won't get injured. That's the only thing I am thinking about at the moment ... I don't want to talk about selection matters. You can ask the selectors," Dhoni said before the team's departure for England
Surprising decision
Former India stumper Chandrakant Pandit feared that the decision will backfire. "T20 is by nature is a very aggressive game. The element of risk is higher in it. As a result, it could become more injury-prone," Pandit said.
"A wicketkeeper's job is that of a specialist. And his replacement also needs to be a specialist. So, it's surprising not to see a reserve wicketkeeper in the squad for an event of this magnitude."
Pandit lamented that the selectors had two deserving candidates to choose from as Dhoni's back-up. "We have two 'keepers in Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik who are good behind the stumps and handy with the bat. But if replacement is flown in during the tournament in case something happens to Dhoni, it won't be that easy. It takes time for a replacement to acclimatise with conditions and to gel with the team," Pandit added.
Pandit was one of the two 'keepers (Kiran More was the other) during India's 1986 tour of England.
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