‘Captain matters a lot to the team’: How Virat Kohli factor influenced appointment of new selectors

Former India left-arm spinner, Sunil Joshi was chosen chief cricket selector to succeed ex-India stumper MSK Prasad for the post on Wednesday.

Indian cricket hinges around captain Virat Kohli and perhaps every decision which is taken has Kohli’s influence over it. Hence, it is no surprise that the CAC wanted to know the views of the applicants for the post of new selectors on working in tandem with Virat Kohli at the helm of affairs. Madan Lal told PTI that both Sunil Joshi and Harvinder Singh had the “best answers” on this particular topic. “We have this factor the most in our mind. Our captain is a high performing player. We have kept it in mind that we find somebody who can communicate with him, because in the end it is the captain, who has to run the team.

“Captain matters a lot to the team and so it is important on how you communicate with him. What is gone is in the past, the two selectors that we picked had the best answers on this topic.”

Former India left-arm spinner, Sunil Joshi was chosen chief cricket selector to succeed ex-India stumper MSK Prasad for the post on Wednesday with Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) having stressed on the ability to communicate well with the India team management in its selections.

Former India pacer, Harvinder Singh, was the other selector chosen from a shortlist that included ex-India pacer Venkatesh Prasad and leg-spinner L Sivaramakrishnan.

Joshi, 49, played 15 Tests and 69 ODIs between 1996 and 2001 while Harvinder—he replaces Gagan Khoda—has played three Tests and 16 ODIs. The representatives of south and central zones respectively will join current panel members Jatin Paranjpe (west), Devang Gandhi (east) and Sarandeep Singh (north).

Joshi is best remembered for his spell of 10/6/6/5 in an ODI against South Africa. “I deem it an honour and privilege to serve our beloved country again and would like to thank the CAC for considering me,” he told Hindustan Times.