Former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president N. Srinivasan claims that claimed he had to exercise his veto power over the selection committee’s unanimous decision to remove MS Dhoni as captain for the tri-nation ODI series in Australia in 2012 after the Indian team suffered a 4-0 loss in the preceding Test series. The loss in Australia followed a similar 4-0 drubbing in England in 2011.
As per the quotes in Indian Express, Srinivasan said, “This was 2011. India had won the World Cup. And (then) in Australia, we didn’t do well in the Tests. So, one of the selectors wanted to remove him (Dhoni) as the ODI captain. The point is, how do you remove him as the ODI captain? He had won the World Cup (just a few months ago). There was a discussion and then (before the formal meeting) I said there was no way in which he would not be a player.”
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He further added, “In fact, it was a holiday. I was playing golf. I came back. Sanjay Jagdale was the (BCCI) secretary at that time and he said, ‘Sir, they (selectors) are refusing to choose the captain. They will take him (Dhoni) in the team’. I came and said MS Dhoni (would be the captain). I exercised all my authority as the (BCCI) president.”
The old BCCI constitution had a mandatory clause that team selections be approved by the board president. According to the new constitution, the chief selector has that power. The series losses in England and Australia had offset India’s 2011 World Cup victory, also achieved in Dhoni’s captaincy, but Srinivasan says according to him there was no point in sacking Dhoni as ODI captain based on results in Tests.
N Srinivasan said, “See, there was apparently some prejudice somewhere, which reflected. He (Dhoni) has won the World Cup for you. After 1983, India won it again and you say, ‘I don’t want him to be the ODI captain’! Left to them (selectors), they might have (dropped him as a player). I don’t know. I think that was the most unfair (move) and I am glad that I stood my ground.”
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Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket on Saturday, 15 August but will play the IPL this year for Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
