Cricket

Former BCCI and Team India selector MSK Prasad has raised concerns over the selection of Nitish Kumar Reddy in the Indian squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Reddy, who has played only 21 first-class matches, has been fast-tracked into the Test squad after impressing in IPL 2024 and in T20Is for India.Prasad believes that Reddy should not be expected to perform like Hardik Pandya, who is a more experienced all-rounder. "He is not Hardik, who bowls at 140. He just bowls at 125 to 130kmph," Prasad said.Prasad also expressed concern over Reddy's lack of experience in red-ball cricket. "I'm concerned because of the kind of role we gave to Hardik back then after whatever Test cricket he had played," Prasad added.Hardik's Test career lasted only 11 Tests, and he hasn't played a red-ball game in over six years. He has often been bogged down by injury and needed workload management.Prasad has similar worries about Reddy, who has only 708 runs and a solitary century in first-class cricket. "His batting numbers are far from brilliant," Prasad said.Despite his concerns, Prasad acknowledged that Reddy has taken 55 first-class wickets at a good average of 26.01. However, he believes that Reddy's selection is a gamble."It's a gamble. He's a talented player, but he's not ready for Test cricket yet," Prasad said. "I hope he proves me wrong, but I'm not convinced."

Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad has revealed that Shreyas Iyer was being groomed to become a future Indian cricket team skipper. Prasad, who served as the BCCI chief selector between 2016 and 2020, said that Iyer caught their eye while captaining the India A side."If you go back to the stats, in the last two years, when we were at the helm, Shreyas Iyer led the side (India A). I think out of the 10 series that India A played, we won 8. In the majority of those series, Shreyas led the side. He has been in and around as captain. He has been groomed for that particular slot," Prasad said.Prasad also said that Iyer was considered to be a top contender for India captaincy after Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. "We felt that post Virat, post Rohit Sharma, you needed someone to lead the side that's when we started thinking about Shreyas Iyer or Rishabh Pant. But even ahead of Pant, was Iyer as a captain," he added.Iyer has been impressive as the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Prasad believes that Iyer is maturing into a very good leader. "He is slowly maturing into a very good leader. It's very important at the start of your captaincy career to have good team management. That's what he's getting from KKR. He is young, and they are going to invest in him. In the next two or three years, we will see Shreyas evolve into a wonderful captain," Prasad said.Iyer has not been included in the Indian squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. However, Prasad believes that Iyer is still a future captaincy prospect for India. "He is a very good player. He has got all the shots. He is a very good fielder. He is a very good runner between the wickets. He is a complete package. He is a future captain of India," Prasad said.

Hardik Pandya's appointment as vice-captain of the Indian T20 World Cup squad has sparked both praise and criticism. Former BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad has defended the decision, asserting that Hardik is the best fast-bowling all-rounder in the country.Despite recent struggles with form in the IPL, Prasad believes Hardik's leadership qualities and all-round abilities make him an ideal choice for the vice-captaincy. He pointed out that Hardik has previously captained the Indian team in Rohit Sharma's absence.Prasad acknowledged Hardik's recent form slump but attributed it to the change in leadership at Mumbai Indians. He expressed confidence that Hardik will regain his form before the World Cup."Once he puts on the Indian jersey, he can leave his IPL form behind," Prasad said. "Hardik Pandya is the best fast bowling all-rounder in the country now, no matter what the pundits say."Hardik's return from injury has been underwhelming, with poor performances in the IPL. However, Prasad believes that Hardik will bounce back and play a key role in India's World Cup campaign."I think Hardik will come out of it," Prasad said. "In the Indian team, his role will change. He will not have to worry about role clarity."Prasad's comments come amid growing speculation about Hardik's place in the Indian team. Some critics have questioned his form and leadership abilities, while others have defended his selection.Ultimately, the decision of whether Hardik will justify his vice-captaincy will depend on his performances in the lead-up to and during the World Cup. If he can regain his form and provide the leadership that the team needs, he will prove to be a valuable asset to India's chances of success.