Should captain and coach have a say in team selection? Ravi Shastri remarks

The national selectors selected the cricket team for a series. However, should the captain and the coach have a say on the same? Ravi Shastri has given his opinion on it.

When it comes to team selection, the national selectors have the final call on who to select, based on the performance in the past few months, especially in the domestic and international circuit. However, some feel that the decision should not entirely lie with the selectors and that captain and the coaches should have their say. On the same note, former Indian head coach Ravi Shastri has remarked on it.

Speaking to Star Sports on the topic, Shastri reckoned that it is vital for the skipper and the coach to have a say in the team selection. He feels that it should be the case in the future, especially if the coach has enough experience in his bag, implying to coaches like him and current head coach Rahul Dravid. Notably, the process is followed in Australia and England.

Shastri thinks that it is essential for the captain to study the selectors' mindset. "It should happen in a meeting, not on the phone or outside, where the captain is there so that he gets to see the mindsets of the selectors. What happens in the meeting when the convenor is there, all the big boys are there, he should be in that meeting," he concluded.

Earlier, Shastri had backed Rohit Sharma taking on white-ball leadership duties and approved the split captaincy policy for the white and red ball. He felt that it was the right way ahead. Also, he focused on the fact that the tough bubble life makes it difficult for a skipper to handle the duties across all three formats.

"I honestly feel inside that it could be a blessing in disguise for Virat. He can focus on the red-ball. There is no problem there. He should lead for as long as he wants because what he brings on the field, that energy, very few captains can do in Test match cricket. So, he will be there, but it will allow him to sit back a bit, reflect a little more on his game, because he has got a good five-six years left," he had told the broadcaster.