Saba Karim, a former national selector, has called on the BCCI to examine the Indian team management’s involvement in the historic dual T20I series failures against England and Ireland and take the necessary action.
In consecutive T20I series losses, India was defeated 0-2 by Ireland and 0-4 by England.
“After such a disastrous series — a whitewash with huge margins of defeat — no one can abdicate responsibility — not only the support staff including Head Coach Gautam Gambhir but also the captain (Shreyas Iyer) and the vice-captain (Tilak Varma),” Karim told PTI during an interaction.
“I think, these people are the think-tank of the Indian side, more so when you’re travelling outside India. The BCCI must examine their role and responsibility for the debacle,” the former India stumper added.
However, the former India selector encouraged selectors to stick with recently anointed skipper Shreyas Iyer and gave him the benefit of the doubt.
“I hope that once you have invested in a captain like Shreyas Iyer, you continue to give him more support and back him.
“But I also feel that the time is right now for Iyer to assert himself in terms of planning, in terms of resources, in terms of the kind of vision he has. It is up to him now to lead the team forward and to have the right resources under him,” he stressed.
Karim stated that the BCCI had the authority to make difficult decisions, like as changing the coaching and support staff.
“That is why the BCCI has called for a meeting where all these individuals or all such people who are given this responsibility will be invited and they will have a discussion,” he noted.
Karim also emphasized the need of creating a safe and supportive atmosphere for players.
“I feel that you need to have a conducive environment where players feel far more secure and go out to play in a fearless manner, which is required in a T20 format. This is such a series which should help India to learn, not only as a team, but also as the selection committee as to what happened that India had to suffer this kind of defeat against England and before that against Ireland,” he highlighted.
When questioned about the coach’s role in inspiring and bringing out the best in the players, Saba responded: “That is what is expected. But if it has not happened, that’s the reason why. I mean, that is why the BCCI needs to find the reason for what went wrong.
“That is why this kind of discussion and meeting is required. And only then you can, once you start to address the certain issues due to which India lost, only then one can step ahead and take some positive steps forward.
“I think one needs to step forward and become a much better side. You need to analyze. You need to introspect. You need to address issues and concerns. And only then can one take positive steps forward,” he added.
