Kris Srikkanth hits out at CSK captain for 'wrong process of selection’.
Former India captain Kris Srikkanth heavily criticised Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and questioned the team's selection process after the latter said youngsters lacked the 'spark' which forced the team management to go with the experienced players in the playing XI.
"I will never accept what Dhoni is saying about this process. This process he keeps talking about is meaningless. You keep talking about process, process... but the process of selection itself is wrong," ESPNCricinfo quoted Srikkanth as saying on ‘Star Sports Tamil’.
Dhoni's remarks had come after the team suffered a seven-wicket defeat against Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Abu Dhabi on Monday.
"Also, there were few chances to the youngsters. Maybe we didn't see the kind of spark that they could've given us to say ‘okay, you know push the experienced guys and make space for them’. But what this result has done is give those youngsters whatever is left in our league stages," Dhoni had said.
Youngsters Narayan Jagadeesan and Ruturaj Gaikwad only played one and two matches respectively this season. Jagadeesan, who played against Royal Challengers Bangalore, scored 33 runs in the match. Gaikwad, on the other hand, managed to score just five runs from the two matches he played.
However, some of the CSK's experienced players also failed to impress like Kedar Jadhav, who has scored 62 runs from the eight matches he played.
Srikkanth then questioned the selection of Jadhav and Piyush Chawla, who gave away 32 runs from his three overs in the match, in the playing XI.
"What is Dhoni's deal? He says Jagadeesan doesn't have spark, but does 'scooter' Jadhav have that spark? This is ridiculous. I will not accept this answer today. All this talk of process and Chennai's tournament itself is over. Dhoni now says that since the pressure is off, he'll give the youngsters a chance," he said.
"I don't understand this rubbish about the process at all. What spark didn't he see in Jagadeesan? What spark did he see in Jadhav and Piyush Chawla? Karn Sharma at least took wickets. Chawla simply goes through the motions of bowling, coming on when the game is already lost. Dhoni may be a pistha (big shot) and there is no doubt he is great, but I cannot agree with him or accept this," Srikkanth added.
