New Delhi: MSK Prasad, the former head of the national selection committee, has firmly disputed claims that players in Indian cricket are chosen based on their religion, last name, or community background. He said that this kind of bias “has never existed” in the selection process.
After Congress national spokesperson Shama Mohamed accused Indian team head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar of allegedly ignoring Sarfaraz Khan because of his last name, Prasad spoke out.
Prasad, who was India’s Chief National Selector from 2016 to 2020, told IANS that the selection process in Indian cricket is based only on merit and performance.
“It won’t happen.” We don’t discuss about communities, regionalism, or anything else when someone is picked. But why do these things only come out when someone is let go? Prasad stated.
He also said that Sarfaraz Khan, who is known for being great at domestic cricket, may have been left out for cricketing reasons exclusively.
“There must be a good explanation; maybe the people who picked the players can explain it. But it’s not right to bring religion or regionalism into this. When we choose players, we never think about their religion or community. He said, “Performance is the only thing that matters.”
Prasad also criticized people who make political assertions about cricket selections, adding that these claims reflect “a lack of understanding of Indian cricket.”
He stated, “If someone is thinking that way, they are wrong and don’t know anything about Indian cricket.”
Political Fight Over Sarfaraz Khan’s Absence
The argument started when Shama Mohamed, a leader of the Congress party, said on X (previously Twitter):
“Is Sarfaraz Khan not chosen because of his last name? I was only asking. We know what Gautam Gambhir thinks about that.
Many people were angry over what she said, and fans and political leaders accused her of making cricket a community sport.
In reaction, Prasad denounced the statement and made it clear that selectors never favor or discriminate against any player. He stressed that selection decisions are always based on performance.
He repeated, “Selectors don’t look at names, last names, or religions; they only look at numbers and consistency.”
Fans and pundits alike have been talking about the choice of Sarfaraz Khan, who has been dominating domestic cricket with his batting performances. Prasad said, however, that performance is still the only reason to represent India, and that rumors of prejudice are “unfounded and harmful.”