Hyderabad: Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha on Saturday criticized the Indian cricket team selectors for their lack of communication on picking and dropping players from the Indian team.
In an Instagram Live session with a leading Indian sports media outlet, Ojha was asked about his emotions on being dropped from the Indian cricket team despite a 10-wicket haul in his last Test appearance, against West Indies in 2013.
In response, Ojha stated on the issue with the system by citing his own sudden ouster from the Indian Test team. “I am afraid that is not how it happens in India [selectors telling Ojha about him being dropped]. It just happens. You see the team and if you’re not there, you’re not there," the former left-arm spinner added.
Last year, ace Indian cricket team all-rounder Yuvraj Singh had also criticized the Indian team selectors and made an open statement on how he felt the selectors were not thinking in terms of modern-day cricket.
Apart from Yuvraj, Ashish Nehra more recently slammed the Indian cricket team selectors' chopping and changing of players over the last two years.
Coincidentally, Ojha's last Test match for India was also Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th and last Test match for India and despite the left-arm spinner picking a five-wicket haul in each innings, Pragyan was never picked to play for the Indian cricket team after that match.
“There is no guarantee that you will get picked if you perform well, whether it be the national team or the state team. Your job is to perform and selection is never in your hands. Taking care of your own skills is in your own hands and one should concentrate on that," Ojha further added.
The spinner made his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Kanpur back in 2009 played 24 Test matches for the Indian cricket team and picked 113 wickets, slowly establishing himself as one of the best spinners in the Indian team.
Although, he was not picked to play for India after the Test against West Indies, Pragyan continued to play in the domestic formats and made appearances in the Indian Premier League.
