BCCI President and former India skipper Sourav Ganguly have finally given his opinion about the controversy surrounding the selector’s decision to decline the request made by Kohli and Ravi Shastri to send Prithvi Shaw and Devdutt Padikkal to England as a replacement of the injured Sbubman Gill who has been forced to return home.
Ganguly said that it was a matter of the selection panel to decide what they feel good for the team. It was learnt that the Indian team management via administrative manager Girish Dongre requested for a couple of openers as replacements preferring Shaw and Padikkal.
However the chairman of selectors, Chetan Sharma hadn’t replied to the mail. It is believed that the selectors want Abhimanyu Easwaran who is a part of the extended squad to be included in the main team.
With already four opening options available, the selection panel didn’t feel necessary to send either Prithvi Shaw or Devdutt Padikkal who are currently in Sri Lanka preparing for six white-ball matches. Speaking on the same Ganguly said, "That is the selectors' call.”
Speaking on conducting tournaments amidst the pandemic the former Indian skipper said, "Nothing can be done with this Covid-19 situation, so it is closed doors only. Cricket is obviously started, India is in England, then we will have IPL and then there is T20 World Cup. Cricket won't stop and it will go on."
"These are exceptional circumstances. Last year World Cup got cancelled. This year if again it gets cancelled because of Covid, then it is a massive loss for the game. That is why it is being taken to a safer place," he added.