BCCI Chief Selector MSK Prasad Issues Warning to India Players, Says Deliver or Will Bring in New Faces From Domestic Circuit

India, who went into the England tour as favourites, failed to cash in what was said by many as one of the greatest opportunities for the team to secure a Test-series win in England. However, the team, particularly the batsmen, didn't perform as India lost the series by a big margin of 1-4.

After a 1-4 debacle in England in the five-Test series, BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad has issued a warning to Indian players, saying if the selected players fail to perform consistently, then new faces will be brought in from the domestic circuit.

India, who went into the England tour as favourites, failed to cash in what was said by many as one of the greatest opportunities for the team to secure a Test-series win in England. However, the team, particularly the batsmen, didn’t perform as India lost the series by a big margin of 1-4. However, the scoreline of 1-4 was not a true reflection of how India competed in the five-match rubber, as insisted by skipper Virat Kohli.

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Speaking to the Times of India, Prasad said, “After giving enough opportunities, if the players don’t deliver then in all fairness we need to look at youngsters who are doing well on the domestic cricket circuit and for India ‘A’.”

One of the main reasons why India failed to clinch the series was the inability of the batsmen–apart from Kohli— to put on a good-enough performance to back the brilliant bowling performance delivered by the bowlers, particularly by the pacers.

Cheteshwar Pujara, scored a valiant century in the fourth Test at Southampton, while Ajinkya Rahane scored a half-century during India’s unsuccessful chase in the second innings. Prior to that, the two batsmen had scored a half-century each in respective innings during the third Test at Trent Bridge which India won. Despite that, Rahane ended the series with 257 runs at an average of 25.70, while Pujara’s tally reads 278 runs at 39.71.

Prasad said the two batsmen could have fared better despite the conditions not being easy.

“Over the last few years, Pujara and Rahane have done well in those No. 3 & No. 5 slots. They have enough experience behind them to be the mainstay of our middle order. They did well here too but they could have been a bit more consistent,” said the BCCI chief selector.

“When we pick players for particular slots, they should be given enough opportunities before we move on and look at youngsters. Yes, our openers could have done better. Having said that, the England openers also failed miserably. The conditions were tough and the openers of both the teams failed,” he added.

Following India’s defeat in England, head coach Ravi Shastri stressed on the importance of practice matches ahead of the Australia Tests and demanded more tour games before the Test series which begins from December 6 Down Under. Prasad echoed Shastri’s thoughts, adding BCCI is going to assign warm-ups for the Australia Tour.

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“We are trying to find ways where our Test specialists will be going early and get enough match practice to get acclimatised to conditions,” said Prasad.

India are slated to tour Australia for three T20Is, four Test matches and three ODIs from November 21 to January 18.