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MSK Prasad clarifies selection committee was not bullied by Kohli and Shastri

Published

7 years ago

July 31, 2019

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]After Sunil Gavaskar expressed surprise why Virat Kohli’s captaincy was automatically allowed and called the selectors “lame ducks,” Chief Selector MSK Prasad defended his panel vigorously.

Prasad, in an interview, termed Gavaskar’s ‘lame duck’ comment as ‘unfortunate’, but said that it only made his committee ‘stronger’.

“It is very unfortunate. We have utmost respect for the legendary cricketers. Every opinion expressed by them is taken in right earnest. They have their viewpoints which are well- received. In fact, more than getting hurt by this kind of comments, it only makes this selection committee stronger, committed and united,” the former India stumper hit back.

Sunil Gavaskar had said that Virat Kohli’s appointment as captain was till the World Cup 2019 and thus there should have been a formal meeting to re-appoint Kohli before the MSK Prasad led selection committee named him as captain of the team across all the three formats for the West Indies tour that starts from August 3.

Prasad also denied speculation that Kohli and coach Ravi Shastri have tried to manipulate the panel on certain decisions.

“Shastri and Kohli are the coach and captain of our senior team and Rahul Dravid looks after India A team. They have their roles and responsibilities cut out. We as selection committee have our roles and responsibilities. Working in tandem and in solidarity with Ravi, Virat and Rahul cannot be taken as being bullied,” he said.

“There were several occasions we had difference of opinions which we may not bring into the public domain. What happens within the four walls has to remain there. At the end of the day, we move on in the larger interest of the Indian team and the country,” he added.

Replying to critics who point out that the present five-man national selection panel has played a combined 13 Tests between them; Prasad cited the example of England and Australia, where little- known former cricketers like Ed Smith and Trevor Hohns are chief selectors.

“It is a common misconception that people think players who have played more cricket have more knowledge or more power and can bully anybody but it not the fact. If that is the case then the entire coaching unit, selection committee and all other relevant fields should be filled with only those people who have had vast international careers as players. I don’t think this is right,” he said.

Also Read : No Indian in the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires after S Ravi omitted

Highlighting the panel’s achievement in the last three years, Prasad said: “Our committee has travelled across the length and breadth of the country to identify fresh talent from domestic cricket and groomed the selected bunch through a systematic process and inducted the deserving players into the India A and further into the senior Indian teams.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Cricket news

India beat Pakistan by 19 runs to win Asian Games cricket gold

India beat Pakistan by 19 runs in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket final to retain the gold medal in the competition.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 3, 2026

APNLive Desk

India defeated Pakistan by 19 runs in the men’s cricket final at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday to retain the gold medal.

India posted 211 for six after being sent in to bat, before restricting Pakistan to 192 for six in their 20 overs. The victory gave India their second successive Asian Games gold medal in men’s cricket.

India post 211 in final

India’s batting was led by Abhishek Sharma, who scored 61 off 28 balls, while Tilak Varma contributed 51 off 22 balls.

The two batters provided the momentum as India reached 211 for six from their 20 overs.

India captain Shreyas Iyer had won the toss and elected to bat first in the final.

Pakistan fall 19 runs short

Pakistan’s chase was anchored by Hasan Nawaz, who made 96 from 51 balls. Saim Ayub added 29 from 22 balls, but Pakistan finished on 192 for six after 20 overs.

India’s Axar Patel and Washington Sundar each took two wickets as Pakistan fell short of the target.

The result secured the gold medal for India, while Pakistan finished with silver. Sri Lanka won the bronze medal after defeating Bangladesh in the bronze-medal match.

India retain Asian Games cricket title

The victory marked India’s second consecutive men’s cricket gold medal at the Asian Games. India had also won the men’s cricket gold at the Hangzhou edition.

India’s victory over Pakistan also completed a gold-medal double for the country in cricket at the 2026 Asian Games, after the women’s team won the women’s cricket final earlier in the competition.

India News

MK Stalin attacks Vijay government over hindi signboard in Tamil Nadu

MK Stalin criticised the Tamil Nadu government over Hindi lettering on a State Highway signboard and warned the Vijay-led administration against interfering with the state’s two-language policy.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 2, 2026

APNLive Desk

The use of Hindi on a highway signboard in Tamil Nadu has triggered a political row, with DMK chief MK Stalin criticising the Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government over the issue.

The controversy centres on a State Highway signboard that displayed place names in Tamil, English and Hindi. The board was installed on the Alwarthirunagari-Valliyoor State Highway 93 route through Sathankulam in Thoothukudi district.

Stalin objected to the inclusion of Hindi, saying Tamil Nadu has long opposed what he described as attempts to impose Hindi and warning the state government against altering its established two-language policy.

He questioned whether the use of Hindi on the signboard represented the kind of change promised by the TVK government. Stalin also urged the administration not to interfere with Tamil Nadu’s language policy.

Hindi removed from signboard

Following the controversy, the Hindi lettering was removed from the signboard. The state government also suspended two officials from the Highways Department over the matter and initiated departmental action against them.

According to officials, the Assistant Divisional Engineer and Assistant Engineer associated with the project had failed to inform higher authorities about the inclusion of Hindi on the board.

The Tamil Nadu government has said that the use of Hindi on the State Highways Department signboard was against the state’s two-language policy and warned that strict action would be taken against officials violating the policy.

Stalin targets Vijay government

Stalin also stepped up his criticism of the TVK administration, describing it as a “Reels government” and alleging that it was responding to social media trends involving influencers from northern states.

His comments came amid a wider political debate in Tamil Nadu over the state’s established Tamil-English two-language policy and the use of Hindi in government-related signage.

The latest controversy has therefore brought the language policy issue back into focus, with the DMK questioning the TVK government’s handling of the Hindi signboard and the state administration taking action against the officials concerned.

MK Stalin has criticised the Vijay-led Tamil Nadu government over Hindi appearing on a State Highway signboard. The Hindi lettering was later removed, while two Highways Department officials were suspended and departmental action was initiated.

Cricket news

Jasprit Bumrah becomes first Indian to play T20Is in 13 countries

Jasprit Bumrah became the first Indian to play T20I cricket in 13 different countries after featuring against Sri Lanka in Japan.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 1, 2026

APNLive Desk

Jasprit Bumrah added another milestone to his international career on Thursday after taking the field for India against Sri Lanka in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket semifinal in Japan.

Bumrah’s appearance at Nishin made him the first Indian to play T20I cricket in 13 different countries, according to the report. He moved ahead of former India captains Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who have each played T20Is in 12 countries.

Bumrah’s 13-country T20I record

Before playing in Japan, Bumrah had represented India in T20Is in 12 other countries — India, Australia, Bangladesh, England, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the UAE, the United States, West Indies and Zimbabwe.

His appearance in Japan took the tally to 13. Kohli, Rohit and Bhuvneshwar had played in all of those countries except Japan, leaving Bumrah alone at the top of the list.

Kohli and Rohit cannot add to their totals as both have retired from T20I cricket, according to the source.

Bumrah shines against Sri Lanka

Bumrah also made an immediate impact in his first T20I appearance in Japan. He claimed two wickets in his opening over against Sri Lanka and finished with figures of 2/7 in two overs.

India went on to dismiss Sri Lanka for 45 in 9.5 overs and won the semifinal by 124 runs to book a place in the Asian Games 2026 men’s cricket final.

The result set up an India-Pakistan gold-medal clash, scheduled for October 3.

Jasprit Bumrah has become the first Indian to play T20I cricket in 13 different countries. His appearance against Sri Lanka in Japan took him past Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who have played T20Is in 12 countries each.