India vs Windies | Virat Kohli needs to be more consistent with his selections, asserts Sourav Ganguly
Citing the example of Shreyas Iyer’s performance in the recently concluded ODI series, Sourav Ganguly has urged Virat Kohli to be more consistent in his selections to see the best out of his players. Ganguly also backed the rehiring of R Sridhar, who pipped Jonty Rhodes to the fielding coach job.
Post the World Cup debacle, India restarted their international season with a tour of the West Indies. And they started off from where they had left before the quadrennial event by winning both the T20I and ODI series. Ahead of the first Test, India decided to drop R Ashwin and instead go ahead with Ravindra Jadeja in the playing eleven - a decision that drew flak from all quarters owing to Ashwin’s incredible record against the Windies. Backing Virat Kohli as the captain of the side, Ganguly added that he has just one gripe with the skipper.
"This is one area where Virat needs to just be a bit more consistent - pick players and give them a bit more opportunities - for them to get that confidence and rhythm. I have said that before. You saw how Shreyas Iyer played in the ODI series (against West Indies). You picked him and you gave him the freedom to play those matches. I think that needs to happen with a lot of players and I am sure Virat will do that," Ganguly said, reported TOI.
Ganguly went on to add that it was not just the Ashwin snub that left him surprised. Backing up his earlier statements, Ganguly said that Kuldeep deserved an extended run in the team after his performance on a flat deck in Sydney in the last Test of India’s maiden Test series win in Australia.
"Yes, I was also surprised to see Kuldeep left out because the last Test he played against Australia, he got five wickets in Sydney on a good flat pitch. But Jadeja also has been in good form. The surface yesterday at Antigua needed three fast bowlers because we saw the seam movement the fast bowlers got. Ashwin's record is phenomenal. We will find out in the next couple of days whether how far Jadeja goes on to pick wickets on this surface. Because this pitch will get up and down as the game progresses. You can see that sort of indication from the first day of the Test. We will have to wait to see but I would also say that's the competition (level) of Indian cricket," Ganguly added.
Once India handed out a contract extension to Ravi Shastri, the attention soon turned to the other positions on the coaching staff. With South African fielding legend Jonty Rhodes in the race to land the job of India’s fielding coach, it appeared that R Sridhar’s time with the team might have come to an end. However, the BCCI decided to extend Sridhar’s contract and Ganguly exclaimed that he was pleased with the final decision.
"They wanted continuity with Sridhar, who I think has done a good job. The Indian fielding has been very good. You saw that in the World Cup with Ravindra Jadeja leading the pack. I am a big supporter of the Indian coaches because (their) communication (with the players) is good. They understand the mindset. I am not saying that overseas coaches are different, but we needed (them) at one stage during the transition in the 2000s where we needed overseas coaches to guide young players and take a way forward. But I am extremely happy that our own home bred coaches are given priority which is good because they have put in a lot of effort," he explained.
"I am very happy that the likes of Ravi, Anil (Kumble), Sridhar, Vikram (Rathour) and Bharat Arun have got the opportunity to take Indian cricket forward because they got as much ability as anybody else in the world.”