Thaindian News

Chennai, Jan 15 (IANS) Selection committee chairman Krishnamachari Srikkanth Sunday lamented that India’s “best team” failed miserably in Australia with two consecutive innings defeats, while cricket board president N. Srinivasan vowed that England and the Australia will be beaten on their return tours later this year.

“The Indian cricket team’s pathetic performance is devastating. Look at my face. Am I am happy,” asked Srikkanth during an interaction with the media soon after selecting the Indian team for the forthcoming tri-series and Twenty20 games in Australia.

Srinivasan said: “England won 5-0 (against India) in England. They came here within a month or two and lost 5-0. Last year, they (England) came here and they lost 7-0.”

“It is a case of Australians playing better in their home conditions. Last time, when after our loss to England, I had said that we will beat them when they visit India.

“Next New Zealand is coming to India and it will be followed by England and Australia. We will beat these three teams on our own soil. They cannot beat us here and we will feel very happy.”

When queried about speculation over V.V.S.Laxman’s berth in the Test team following his string of failures on the recent tours, Srikkanth said it was far too early to contemplate the future of the Hyderabad batsman.

“The next test series is in September. We do not know what will happen at that time. If Laxman decides to retire, I cannot say anything. But we will take stock of the situation only in September,” he asserted.

On the back-to-back innings defeats in the Sydney and Perth Tests, Srikkanth said it was difficult to pinpoint a specific reason, but the collective batting failure contributed to the heavy losses.

“It is difficult to give a particular reason for the bad performance. I thought they will recover in the Perth test but it also ended in an innings defeat. It is not only the top order but entire batting has consistently failed. This kind of defeat is saddening. It’s very disappointing, there can be no excuses.

“We picked the best team possible as many players including Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Sreesanth and Varun Aaron were not fit. None of us including you (the media) and every Indian is happy. The same seniors have brought laurels to the country for Indian cricket. Not just the senior batsmen who have got 10,000 and 8000 runs, but all the batsmen failed. Not just as the Chairman of the Selection committee, as a former player and more than this, as an Indian, I am very disappointed. Two innings defeat in a row is devastating,” he said.

Srikkanth hoped that India would fare better in the shorter format series in Australia as the selection committee had picked the “best team” available.

“For the One-dayers and T-20, we have selected the best available talents. I hope, they will recover in time to enhance their morale and do well,” he said.