Saurashtra wicket-keeper batsman Sheldon Jackson has lashed out at the national selectors for ignoring the performance of Ranji Trophy when they pick the India 'A' side. The right-hander has been a consistent performer in domestic cricket and his average hovers around 50 in first-class cricket. He even accused the selectors for continuously ignoring players from smaller states.
He took to Twitter to voice his displeasure at not getting the due recognition.
"Saurashtra has played the Ranji Trophy final this year, and surprisingly still no player, even after performing at all platforms, get picked for the A series. So is the importance of playing the Ranji Trophy finals zero (sic.)," he said.
"Or is that small state sides aren't taken seriously coz in the last 5 years @saucricket has played 3 finals under Sitanshu Kotak's coaching, (we have some very good performers since recent years with the bat and ball) but did not get the deserved credit (sic)," he further tweeted.
'I am told not to question'
He also said that he has always been asked not to question the authority, but then he needs to ask questions and as players, they have the right to know how and why the decisions are being made.
"I am told not to question, but i strongly believe that we represent this beautiful organisation and association and we as players surely deserve to know why, and where we lack, or else our carriers are just going to end wondering why selectors should be transparent (sic)," he said.
It should be mentioned here that BCCI too is planning to roll out a policy which will put a gag on players voicing their opinions against the board on social media. In the past several cricketers which also include Bengal cricketer Manoj Tiwary have hit out at the selectors for following an opaque process.
"Yesterday, Saurashtra's Sheldon Jackson raised questions on social media about his non-selection in Duleep Trophy. Sheldon, we can still understand, scored 850-plus runs but Bengal's Manoj Tiwary? He was 39th in top run-getters list in Ranji Trophy and yet he criticised Gandhi for his Duleep omission," a BCCI official was as quoted by PTI.
The official also said that the only reason the selectors have not answered back to these cricketers is because there is a policy in place and hence, the onus was now on the CoA to formulate rules accordingly which could put some discipline back on the table.
