Selector Prasad, Anushka hit out at Engineer after ‘tea’ comment

NEW DELHI: “Ill-intended lies”, said an outraged Anushka Sharma, while a baffled selection panel member termed it “malicious” after former wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer claimed that the actor wife of India captain Virat Kohli sat with the selectors and was served tea by one of them during the World Cup in England this year.

Speaking to a newspaper, the 82-year-old Engineer, who played 46 Tests for India, ridiculed the credentials of India’s five-member selection panel, led by MSK Prasad and comprising Sarandeep Singh and Jatin Paranjpe, Gagan Khoda and Devang Gandhi. Engineer claimed that he saw one of these five men serve tea to Sharma but didn’t name anyone.

“During the World Cup, none of the selectors were sitting in the box where the Indian captain’s wife sat and this is an absolutely rubbish, malicious and defamatory assertion,” Prasad said. “I feel sad for someone deriving sadistic pleasure out of indulging in petty talk, thereby demeaning and disrespecting the selectors and wife of Indian captain through false and frivolous allegations,” an angry Prasad added.

“Let’s not forget that this selection committee has been appointed by BCCI through a proper process in an AGM,” Prasad said.

Sharma came across way more furious in her statement. “...the latest version of these illintended lies is that I was being served tea by selectors at matches during the World Cup! I came to one game during the World Cup and sat in the family box and not the selectors box as reported but when has the truth mattered...”.