Dressing room information leaked, Indian management irked with BCCI's YoYo politics
Team India management is not impressed with the way the entire episode is played out in the media.
Mumbai: The debate and discussions over Yo-Yo test have taken a new twist as the Indian cricket team has left the shores for an all-important England tour. The fitness, which now has become a key factor for the team selection, once again grabbed the headlines after Mohammed Shami, Ambati Rayudu and Sanju Samson were dropped from the team for the Afghanistan Test, England ODIs and India A’s tour respectively following their failure to pass the Yo-Yo test.
While the ex-India selector Sandeep Patil had come down heavily on India’s dependence on the fitness test for selection, Ravi Shastri, Team India head coach, and Virat Kohli, Indian cricket team skipper, threw their weight behind the fitness test before India left for Ireland and England.
However, now it is learnt that the Indian team management is not at all pleased with some sections of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for politicising the entire Yo-Yo scenario.
While the Committee of Administrators (CoA) had asked BCCI to explain why the Yo-Yo tests have been the only parameter to determine the fitness of the Indian cricketers, the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri has asked the Saba Karim-led BCCI Cricket Operations team to discuss and deliberate the format of the letter to respond to Anirudh Chaudhry's, BCCI treasurer, email to CoA. It is reported that Chaudhry had written to CoA to ask them what are the exact parameters of the Yo-Yo tests.
However, Team India management is not impressed with the way the entire episode is played out in the media and has said that Karim, General Manager-Operations, is leaking the stories of what happens inside the Indian cricket team dressing room.
"Individuals who have nothing to do with cricket are busy interfering in team affairs. Saba Karim is not telling the entire truth. His remit is to stick to domestic cricket and women's cricket, not the Indian men's team. Instead, Karim is busy leaking stories to the media about what happens in the dressing room. For starters, he needs to confirm if his KRA (job profile) involves interfering in Team India affairs?", a report in The Times of India quoted one of the Team India management members as saying.
"The idea of Yo-Yo tests is not an overnight thing. It's been designed keeping all relevant officials in the loop. It's not a one-off either. If there are ideas from former cricketers to improve upon it, then fine. But why politicize the whole thing? If there are any questions that need to be asked, let them be with skipper Virat Kohli. Why play politics when the team is not here and is away on an important tour?", added the source.
Kohli and co will play two T20Is against Ireland before they lock horns against Eoin Morgan’s men, the Indian side is scheduled to play three Twenty20Is, three ODIs and five Tests against England.