Jasprit Bumrah's superb performance in the Test arena and making a decent Test player out of a T20 slogger like Hardik Pandya would be the lasting legacy of a selection committee accused of "lacking vision", chairman of selectors MSK Prasad has asserted.
In an exclusive two-part interview with PTI, Prasad spoke about the success of Bumrah and Pandya, who were initially looked upon as T20 specialists, introducing two young wrist spinners in shorter formats and Mahendra Singh Dhoni's place in the current squad.
Excerpts from the interview
Q. What according to you are the key qualities required for a selection committee member?
Q. Some people went on to criticise this committee saying that you guys lack vision, what do you have to say?
If this committee lacked vision, then how did Jasprit Bumrah, who is predominantly considered a white-ball bowler, has been eased into Test cricket and he becomes No.1 Test bowler in ICC rankings?
If we lacked vision, how on earth did Hardik Pandya, who again was initially thought of being a T20 player, was prepared for all-round duties across formats?
Q. Do you feel that in order to fit in MS Dhoni, the selectors compromised on the middle-order balance?
Q.Will your committee, if given a chance to pick the side for South Africa and Bangladesh home series (provided BCCI elections don't happen in time), allow MS Dhoni to pick and choose matches?
Q. Is the West Indies tour start of a rebuilding phase looking at 2020 and 2021 seasons?