Ravichandran Ashwin has said that he hopes there is better communication between Mohammed Shami and the India selection committee led by Ajit Agarkar amid a bit of an exchange between the two in the media. Shami had been ignored for India’s recently concluded Test series against the West Indies and the ongoing ODI series in Australia and the pacer said it wasn’t his job to tell selectors if he is fit or not. Agarkar, meanwhile, said that Shami would be picked if he remains injury free over the next few months.
Ashwin said that there is a lot “indirect” communication in Indian cricket and he hopes this comes to an end. “I will say one thing openly, everything in Indian cricket runs on indirect talks. I really wish that it changes,” he said on his Youtube channel. “It has to change from both the players’ side and the administrators’ and selectors’ side as well. What I have noticed is that if something direct is said, it is bound to come out in the news. So there is no confidence in the player to approach someone and tell them that this is exactly what they want.”
‘Whenever I didn’t get clarity as a played I used to feel low’
Ashwin said that while he doesn’t know if there have been any communication between Shami and the selectors, he himself used to feel let down whenever he didn’t get clarity on what he is expected to do. “Look at what Shami did. He performed and then talked in the press conference, there is nothing wrong with that. But why is he talking all of this? Because he does not have clarity. If he had clarity over what is expected of him, then Shami will be able to say that. Or has Shami received that communication and is not disclosing that? We don’t know the reality. So to be guessing on that is the wrong thing to do. Whenever I as a player didn’t have clarity I always felt a little low. I used to wonder what can I do now, shall I talk to someone? But if I talk, will that leak? That trust is very important.
“One thing I really like is that after every selection the chairman of selectors and captain are fronting up to the press.”
Ashwin also said that he liked what Agarkar said in response to Shami stating that he doesn’t have to give fitness updates to the selectors. “But, at the same time, I really loved how Ajit Agarkar handled it. He said if Shami wants to say something I’ll pick up the phone and talk to him. I really hope that phone call has happened,” Ashwin said.
