BCCI’s erratic policies crushing dreams, sending wrong signals

One of India’s most noteworthy fast bowlers, Mohammed Shami, recently retired from Test cricket. His potential was never used fully by the BCCI, but he did not make a hue and cry about it. He went out like a gentleman player, but he will always be remembered as a bowler who did not get his due. He joined a list of many other wonderful players who, for reasons unknown, never got the full backing of the BCCI.

Shami’s coach, Badruddin Siddiqui, said that Shami was hurt that he was not considered for selection. Siddiqui said, “He felt disrespected, but he did not say it out loud because he wanted to make his return. He hid those emotions, but for how long could he keep this inside? He finally lost his patience.” Former India fast bowler Atul Wassan voiced the feelings of many cricket followers when he said, “Indian cricket lacks the grace to appreciate players who have served the country with devotion. Sad to see Shami depart like this.”

Ashwin’s abrupt departure

In this context, one can recall the circumstances under which R. Ashwin quit the game. On December 18, 2024, he suddenly announced his retirement from international cricket midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series in Australia. He never opened up about his sudden decision, but the facts made it clear that he was a frustrated man.

Ashwin frequently found himself benched during overseas Test matches where the team management favoured faster bowlers or preferred Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the playing XI. Ashwin, who was then the 8th-highest wicket-taker in Test history with 537 wickets, revealed that continually travelling and sitting out on the sidelines started taking a personal toll on his mind, and it affected his career.

Vaibhav being neglected

Then we come to the strange case of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. It is clear that the young lad is a specialist T20 player. That is the format in which he shines most. In the third T20 match at Wellington recently, he smashed 45 runs off 19 balls with four 4s and four 6s. His blistering 133-run stand with Abhishek Sharma helped India to win the match. But in the next match, he was dropped. Does it make any sense to drop a good performer from the side? Needless to say, India lost the next match.

Siraj needs more opportunities

Next, let us see what the BCCI has done with Mohammed Siraj. India went into the first ODI against New Zealand at Eden Park with one big name missing, namely Mohammed Siraj. With Jasprit Bumrah not in the squad, Siraj was supposed to be the leader of this attack. This is the bowler who took 44 wickets, with an average of 20.68 in 2023. He was almost unplayable that year. Since then, Siraj has played just 10 ODIs. In the last series against the West Indies, he played only one game.

The move prompted former cricketer and now commentator Murali Kartik to ask, “Why are you getting rid of Mohammed Siraj from the playing XI?” What wrong has he done? I hope Siraj gets his rightful opportunities. Against the West Indies, he played only one game. I want him because he’s our best bowler now.”

Siraj has often maintained that the more he plays, the better he performs. He needs plenty of games to hit his stride and keep his rhythm. Giving him too much rest and playing him once in a while does not bring out the best from him.

Sarfaraz is the most frustrated player

And finally, we come to Sarfaraz Khan. He is perhaps the most frustrated man in Indian cricket today. He recently said, “I wake up every morning and ask myself – why should I work hard? Despite doing everything, I face rejections.” Indeed, the BCCI selectors are running out of excuses to keep him out of the team.

Initially, they said that he was too fat. Although he had wonderful scores in domestic cricket, he was deemed to be too fat for the team! At the time, Sunil Gavaskar had rightly retorted that a cricketer should be judged on his merit, not on his looks. Because he is not aspiring to be a fashion model. Nevertheless, Sarfaraz worked hard and lost 15 kilos. Then he continued to pile up big scores. But still, no recall.

Former players like Wasim Jaffer and Dilip Vengsarkar have questioned his exclusion and called for clearer communication from the BCCI. But there is complete silence. The BCCI prefers to keep its functioning shrouded in a veil of mystery.

The new crop waiting in line

Among the new crop of rising stars is Sarfaraz’s younger brother Musheer Khan. He is the new No. 3 for Mumbai. He has had a roaring start to the Ranji season, having contributed substantially in each of Mumbai’s four wins so far. Musheer Khan has also contributed with his left-arm spin whenever called upon to bowl.

While playing against Haryana in the ongoing Ranji trophy, Musheer Khan became the first Mumbai player in the 21st century to score a hundred and take a six-wicket haul in the same game. Ravi Shastri was the last to do it in the 1990-91 season. But Musheer must be wondering if he will ever get the recognition due to him or be ignored like his elder brother.

The problem is that such haphazard policies destroy the morale of the players. Many young cricketers, especially those who are aspiring to enter the Indian team, get the message that merit is not the only consideration for selection. There are young players like Manav Suthar, Prashant Veer, Tushar Raheja, Adil Ayub and many others who are waiting in the line. But they may feel that having the right connections and being in the good books of powerful people within the board makes all the difference.

So it is important for the BCCI to shed some light on its decision-making policy and clear the air about its means and methods of selecting players. More transparency and an honest appreciation of merit will go a long way to assuage the fears of thousands of young men and women who strive to don the national colours every year.

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