Recently, former India batsman Virender Sehwag revealed that he missed out on India coach job as he "did not have any setting" with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
Sehwag was one of the applicants for the top job after Anil Kumble's departure in June, but lost out to Ravi Shastri.
Indian cricket is never short of controversies and Sehwag's comment of "setting" to a TV channel raised many eyebrows.
Also read: KL Rahul let down by Kohli, Shastri
Now, questions are being raised in Indian cricket circles with regard to veteran paceman Ashish Nehra's self-selection in the Indian Twenty20 International squad.
When the left-arm seamer was picked for Australia T20Is at home, many were surprised. He did not get to play in the series as captain Virat Kohli and the team management preferred in-form bowlers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah.
On October 12, in Hyderabad, the 38-year-old announced to the media that he will retire from international cricket on November 1 after playing against New Zealand on his home ground in Delhi in a T20I.
This leads to a question as to how Nehra could pick himself way ahead in time. Nobody knows how Nehra selected himself in the team when he could not fit into the Playing XIs for the two T20Is against Australia.
If we go by Sehwag's logic, one might need some "setting" with BCCI to get things done. So, has Nehra done any "setting" with Kohli and the MSK Prasad-led selection panel?
While announcing his retirement, Nehra said he had conveyed his decision to the team and also Prasad.
Nehra, who made his international debut way back in 1999, did admit that Bhuvneshwar and Bumrah were doing really well and was one of the reasons for him quitting the game.
So, how will the selectors, team management accomodate Nehra for the first T20I against New Zealand at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium?
On what basis will Bhuvneshwar or Bumrah be dropped? Or is it necessary to play a third seamer for the contest? And has Nehra done enough for Indian cricket to deserve a farewell on his home ground?
With India and New Zealand set to play three T20Is, selectors will announce a team for the whole series. Once Nehra retires after the opening contest, will the selection committee have a stand-by player to replace him for the remaining two games?
Several questions crop up. Many Indian legends, in the past, have not received such treatment from BCCI. They have called it a day without getting a chance to play a farewell game.
Nehra has not played any competitive cricket since the Indian Premier League (IPL) in May where he was seen in Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) jersey.
Former captain and legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar too questioned how Nehra could be selected in the team for New Zealand T20I.
"Selections are not done on emotion but simply on merit. Nehra deserved to play against the Aussies but wasn't picked and Bhuvneshwar (Kumar) and (Jasprit) Bumrah can't be dropped, so how will Nehra be given the farewell he deserves? That will be interesting to see," Gavaskar wrote in his column for "The Times of India".
Nehra's selection will be based on "emotion" or "setting"? We might not know the answer anytime soon.
