Vijay slams selectors over axing
A week after Karun Nair revealed that he had ‘no conversations’ with Indian selectors after being dropped without playing a single match in England, opener Murali Vijay has levelled the same accusation, saying nobody has spoken to him since his ouster midway through the tour to England.
Vijay had a torrid time in England where he registered scores of 20, 6, 0 and 0 in the first two Tests.
KL Rahul replaced him in the third Test following which Vijay was dropped from the squad for the last two games.
“Neither the chief selector nor any other person spoke to me in England after I was dropped from the third Test. None of them have spoken to me since. I did have a conversation with the members of the team management in England and that’s it,” Vijay was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror.
Like Nair, Vijay was also kept out of India’s squad for the ongoing Tests against the West Indies — a decision that didn’t go down well with off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who slammed the MSK Prasad-led selection committee.
“I tend to agree with what Harbhajan Singh has said about parameters of selection. It is important that a player is told about the reasons for keeping him out so that he knows where exactly he stands in the team management’s and selectors’ scheme of things,” the 34-yearold said.
“As a player it is very important that you are going to get more than just one or two games, so that you can plan better. Stability keeps doubts away. Ultimately, one has to perform and contribute to the team’s cause.”
Prasad, in his defence, said that he had spoken to Nair before not including him in the 15-member squad for the home series. India captain Virat Kohli chose to distance himself from the issue when quizzed on it on the eve of the first Test against West Indies in Rajkot.
Vijay played for Essex in the County Championship after his ouster from the Indian team in England and recorded scores of 56, 100, 85, 80 and 2. He is now hopeful of making a comeback to India’s squad for Australia later this year.
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