We had no bias against Rayudu: Prasad clears air on retired player's Cup exclusion

Mumbai : Ambati Rayudu's sarcasm-laden '3D tweet' might have hastened his international retirement but chairman of selectors MSK Prasad defended the recently-retired Hyderabadi's omission from the World Cup squad, asserting that his panel cannot be accused of bias.

Prasad explained that Mayank Agarwal was summoned as a replacement for injured Vijay Shankar instead of Rayudu because opener KL Rahul's on-field injury during the England game had prompted the team management to seek an opener as 'cover".

However Prasad's logic of Agarwal's inclusion was far from convincing as Rahul played three games (Bangaldesh, Sri Lanka and semi-final) after that.

After being ignored, Rayudu had posted a cryptic tweet, which was certainly directed at the selection committee, which had termed Shankar as a "three dimensional player".

"Just Ordered a new set of 3d glasses to watch the world cup," he tweeted and was widely believed to be the reason behind Rishabh Pant and Agarwal's inclusion as replacements. Rayudu announced his retirement from all forms of cricket just days after Agarwal's selection.

"It was a lovely tweet. Very timely one. I really enjoyed the tweet. It was fantastic. I don't know how it struck him," Prasad's answer had everyone laughing when asked about Rayudu's tweet.

However he wanted to clear the air that Rayudu couldn't be included purely because of the permutations and combinations and the selection committee didn't resort to any favouritism. When Agarwal came in, it was more about having a cover for Rahul.

In fact, he revealed that it was team management asked for an opener in writing. "At that juncture, a written communication was given to us on the back-up opener. We looked at some of the openers working out on certain permutations and combinations.

Some were not in form, others were injured, so that's when we went to Mayank Agarwal. There is no confusion on this and by the end of the day, all speculations should be clear," he further added.

But the chairman empathised with Rayudu. "How much emotions anybody (Rayudu) has gone through, the selection committee has gone through the same emotions," Prasad said.

"When we pick any player and he does well, we feel so happy for him. Similarly when somebody who goes out in this way, the selection committee also feels for it.

But having said that, with regards to the decision taken, it has been completely devoid of any bias or any favouritism into why we have picked Vijay Shankar, Rishabh Pant or Mayank Agarwal also," the former stumper said in his committee's defence.

While Rayudu has every reason to be aggrieved, Prasad reminded that when he had failed a fitness test after being picked on the basis of his T20 performances, his panel had backed the Hyderabad man.

"I will give you a small example about Rayudu. When Rayudu was picked, on the basis of 17-18 T20s (2018 IPL performance), we picked him in ODI side. There was a lot of criticism but we had some thoughts about him subsequently.

"When he failed the fitness (Yo YO) test (before England away ODIs), this selection committee backed him and we put him through a fitness programme for a month, ensured that he gets fit and comes into the side.

"Once he came into the side, we backed him but due to certain permutations and combinations in the side, we couldn't pick him," Prasad reasoned why Rayudu was overlooked even after Shankar got injured. But he made it clear that his committee can't be accused of "bias or favouritism".

"That (Rayudu's exclusion) doesn't make the selection committee or me biased about any particular person. We know how emotional Rayudu is, we are also emotional. We as ex-cricketers, also feel for him," he said.

He explained how Pant and Agarwal came in as replacements. "The team management requested for a left-hander and we had no other choice than Rishabh Pant. We are very, very clear on that.

We know what he is capable of. That's the reason we had to bring in a left-hander, which confused many people as to why a middle-order batsman has been selected in place of an opener," he said.