The selection of SRH all-rounder Nitish Reddy and KKR speedster Harshit Rana for the tour of Australia could not help but applaud the Indian cricket community. It alleged that ‘IPL influenced Test selection’. Add to the mix coach Gautam Gambhir’s KKR connection and an overbaked conspiracy theory was ready to be served up across the country.
Before the team departs, Gambhir will be asked about Reddy’s selection. He would say the right things about the 21-year-old Andhra lad being “unbelievably talented” and how “if given the option, he would deliver”.
Not many shared Gambhir’s faith in the rookie IPL star, with first-class batting and bowling averages of 23 and 26 respectively in 24 first-class games. However, chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar was on the same page.
The Perth Test win vindicated their selection as both Reddy and Rana did their bit to lead India to an unexpected Test victory. Reddy scored runs when the team needed them and Rana had a crucial breakthrough. It was his temperament that impressed the scholars more than his skill. Gambhir and Agarkar would exchange smiles with a sudden collective U-turn.
India’s Nitish Kumar Reddy hits a six during the first cricket Test between India and Australia in Perth, Australia, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Trevor Collins)
On the first day of the Adelaide match, Reddy will treat the day-night Pink Test as a Syed Mushtaq outing. He hit a reverse scoop six in his 42-run innings which had to end due to lack of a reliable partner at the other end. He seems to have ‘things’ that can only be detected by the eyes of an expert. Those eyes were bold and serious. So whenever the camera panned to the proven two, one could imagine the thought-bubble above their heads saying, “There’s more to choose from than just statistics!”
Former national selector Dilip Vengsarkar, a sharp talent-spotter with sharp reporting, once gave a biting reply to a reporter who questioned the selection of players by citing numbers. “In that case, why don’t we make Mohandas Menon the chairman of selectors?” Menon was, and is, India’s leading number man.
Vengsarkar has two key qualities that make one a successful selector. The former India captain, they say, only needs a glimpse to know if a player has the ability to play international cricket. Plus he had the courage and conviction to back up his instincts. These two invaluable attributes of Vengsarkar have put the Big Two of Indian cricket – Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli on the path to greatness.
This famous Rohit story from Junior Day supports the cult of selector Vengsarkar. It was 2005-06 and Rohit was the only Mumbai Under-19 cricketer. He had grace and ‘lots of time’ but not many runs. The Mumbai selectors backed him but were running out of patience.
IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma has confirmed that he will bat in the middle order in the second Test in Adelaide. (PTI)
Then fate will make a happy plot. Vengsarkar will go to Delhi NCR for the wedding. Coincidentally, so did Rohit. He was to play the ONGC match against Indian Oil. Being the national selector, Vengsakar took some time out to watch the oil companies play. Indian cricket was in luck, Rohit played brilliant cricket that day. He scored 100 runs and struck a sound bowling attack with star bowlers like Munaf Patel and Amit Mishra.
Vengsarkar left the field impressed. He will inform the Mumbai Ranji selectors to pick Rohit for the Irani Trophy. They did but he was not named in the playing XI. The selectors will get a piece of Vengsarkar’s mind. He now took things in hand and included Kishori Star in the Deodhar Trophy. Rohit scored 143 against North Zone. Vengsarkar was not wrong.
It was another time when Vengsarkar, as he himself says, lost his job as a selector because he was not ready to change his mind about a player he supported. The cricketer was Virat Kohli.
It was 2008 and India was to tour Sri Lanka. Earlier in the year, Vengsarkar had seen Kohli in an Emerging Trophy match in Australia. Kohli once again gave the feeling of seeing Rohit. But Indian coach Gary Kirsten and Dhoni were not convinced at the selection meeting. They said they had not seen the Delhi boy that Vengsarkar was talking about. ‘ “You haven’t seen him but I have. This guy has to play.” – Wengsarkar said.
BCCI bigwig N Srinivasan also wanted Badrinath, a player from his state. It didn’t happen, not under Vengsarkar’s watch. Had Vengsarkar not bucked his instincts and toed the line instead, Indian cricket history would have been different, and possibly less glorious.
Gambhir is new to the job but Agarkar is close. Together they create hope. Agarkar has selected two World Cup squads, ODI and T20. Unlike in the past, these squads did not have glaring deficiencies – refer to the 2019 World Cup when India reached England where they had several false No.4s. Real No. 4 Ambati Rayudu was left at home. That team failed to reach the finals. Agarkar and co picked runners-up and champions for the group.
India’s selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar and head coach Gautam Gambhir are also accompanied by Harshit Rana. (BCCI on X)
Not too long ago the National Selection Committee faced a crisis of credibility. In a country with 10 former cricketers who have played more than 100 Tests, the most important cricket calls were taken by those with a fraction of the veterans’ experience. A selection committee tagged ‘light’ lacked the confidence to debate or overrule powerful captains and coaches – Kohli, Rohit, Rahul Dravid.
Agarkar and Gambhir also have prestige, stature, attitude and temperament. Mumbai players, past and present, refer to Agarkar as ‘Tiger’. Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan were banned because Agarkar and others felt they lacked commitment to playing domestic cricket.
Ask anyone at the Kotla and they’ll tell you Gambhir can’t be pushed around. He has fast tracked and supported many talented players. Both have made mistakes but believe in their opinions and stances.
It helps that both Gambhir and Agarkar have the ability to fall back on if things don’t work out with their current employers, the BCCI. They have had stints as coaches and commentators with IPL teams. Those with options can reject dictates and make bold decisions. This became clear when the Agarkar panel preferred Suryakumar Yadav over Hardik Pandya for the T20 captaincy. There were those in the BCCI who wanted Hardik but SKY would be it.
So far so good. Now comes the hard part. A major transition in Indian cricket is imminent. Agarkar and Gambhir will soon make important calls to Rohit and Virat. It’s one thing to support talented rookies and another to let go of superstar veterans.
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