Manoj Tiwary slams selectors for Duleep Trophy omission

After facing criticism for some of their choices for the World Cup, the MSK Prasad-headed national selection committee is now under fire for their domestic picks. Bengal skipper Manoj Tiwary slammed the panel after the 33-year-old batsman, who has played 12 ODIs and three T20 internationals, was not included in any of the three Duleep Trophy squads named on Tuesday.

“Since d Duleep trophy teams 4 d year 2018-2019 is out and I don’t see my name featuring in any of them. I want 2 ask d Selectors, Wat is d criteria 4 a player like me 2 get selected again in Duleep trophy teams or Indian team ? If u guys can be kind enough 2 let me know (sic),” tweeted Tiwary, who scored an unbeaten 201 against Madhya Pradesh in Ranji Trophy last season. The Duleep teams were for the 2019-20 season, to be played at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium from Aug 17 to Sept 9.

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Tiwary questioned the selection of players like Milind Kumar, who switched from Delhi to play for Sikkim in its maiden season. “I see few players got picked in this Duleep trophy team by turning out 4 new teams last year which includes Sikkim, Arunachal, Nagaland etc. Is it quantity over quality?? If that’s the case then I would prefer going to those teams and score tons of runs and then get picked.”

Ambati Rayudu responded with a tongue-in-cheek tweet after he was snubbed for the World Cup, and abruptly announced his retirement after not being called up even as injury replacement. Tiwary didn’t mince his words. “Clarity is something which players looks for which Is not there for me from last year and half. Last year I’m d only one in the history of Indian cricket to make a record in 50 overs tournaments at number 4 batting position. Scored at an average of 100 in both Vijay Hazare and also in Deodhar trophy. I demand a clarity.”

However, Tiwary averaged only 24 and 52.28 in last season’s Deodhar Trophy and Vijay Hazare one-day tournaments. He did average 109.33 in the 2017/18 Vijay Hazare, and aggregated 179 runs in Deodhar. Tiwary though was not selected for Duleep Trophy last season too.

Duleep, India’s only day-night first-class tournament with pink ball for the last three seasons, will revert to the day format with red ball due to the absence of telecast until the final. Shubman Gill, Priyank Panchal and Ranji champions Vidarbha’s skipper Faiz Fazal will lead the Blue, Red and Green teams respectively. The final (Sept 5-9) though will be a day-night game and will be telecast, PTI quoted BCCI GM (cricket operations), Saba Karim, as saying.