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Apart from Mishra, Kohli got a bad deal too, says former BCCI secretary Lele

Updated on: 25 January,2010 07:47 AM IST |
A Correspondent |

In 1999, Jaywant Lele, then Indian cricket board secretary, made his famous prediction that India would be beaten 3-0 by Steve Waugh's Australians in the three-Test series Down Under. He turned out to be right.

Ten seasons on, Lele still has strong feelings on Indian cricket. "It's so sad to see some strange decisions made when it comes to our playing XI," said Lele over the phone from Vadodara.

Television reports indicated last night that captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and vice-captain Virender Sehwag clashed over the selection of left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who replaced leggie Mishra for the ongoing second Test in Dhaka. MiD DAY reported on Sunday that some senior players were surprised when coach Gary Kirsten announced at a team meeting that Ojha would replace Mishra, but none of them made a fuss.

It is learnt that Mishra wouldn't have made the playing XI in the first Test had Dhoni not aggravated his back to be ruled out of the Test. Stand-in skipper Sehwag then decided that Mishra would he part of HIS team despite the fact Ojha figured in the previous Test against Sri Lanka in Mumbai. Lele was astounded as to how in-form Virat Kohli couldn't have been played in the absence of injured Laxman. "Kohli should have been in the Test squad. I don't know how you can keep Kohli out and play Murali Vijay," said Lele. Kohli averaged 91.67 in the tri-series held before the Tests.

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