MSK Prasad opens up on Ambati Rayudu's 2019 WC snub - Every selection or non-selection is collective decision

Former India chief selector MSK Prasad has opened up on Ambati Rayudu’s snub for the 2019 World Cup as he thinks; the decision was a collective one from the panel at that time. Prasad, who faced criticism for snubbing then-hot property Rayudu was firm on his decision and cleared the allegations of being a biased person for overlooking his former Andhra Pradesh teammate Rayudu. Soon after the snub in 2019 World Cup snub, Rayudu decided to call time on his international career and retired from all forms of the game.

MSK Prasad breaks silence

"There is no way personal bias can come in the way of selection of the national team. One selector's perceived or alleged bias cannot influence the selection outcome because there would be five others in a selection meeting. Every selection or non-selection is a collective decision," Prasad was quoted saying by Cricbuzz.

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The selection committee during the 2019 World Cup opted to go with Vijay Shankar rather than Rayudu despite the team being in desperate search of proven talent at number four. The selectors dropped Rayudu who had been in excellent touch during the previous seasons and had a fruitful Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign.

The other members of the committee were Devang Gandhi, Gagan Khoda, Sarandeep Singh, and Jatin Paranjpe while skipper Virat Kohli joined through video conferencing before the final decision was taken by the committee.

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Rayudu’s backlash on Prasad

"The team needed a No. 4 batsman. By dispensing with that requirement and going for an all-rounder instead, they missed the main point. If they had taken a batsman like Rahane (Ajinkya) or some other experienced batsman, it would be understandable. The No 4 batsman is needed to both block one end and score runs depending on the situation," Rayudu told a Telugu TV channel recently.

Rayudu recently made a happy ending to his domestic career as he waved goodbye to the IPL, having pocketed a record-equaling sixth title. He was part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) team that beat Gujarat Titans (GT) on the final ball to clinch the title. The win also saw MS Dhoni join Rohit Sharma as the most successful captain in the history of the league with five titles each.

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