Bangalore: India team once again finds itself surrounded by controversy just a day before the fourth One-Day International against England.
According to reports skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has had a rift with the national selectors over Irfan Pathan being picked over Rudra Pratap Singh.
A Bengali daily has claimed there was a rift between skipper Dhoni and the selectors at the last meeting in Kanpur over the axing of RP Singh from the side for the next two games and Irfan's subsequent selection.
"I don't know who is spreading this kind of rumours. Whoever is leaking confidential matters to the press is not doing any good for the well being of cricket. I don't want to deny or admit what transpires during the meeting because it is supposed to be confidential," Dhoni said.
The report went on to say that Dhoni had threatened to step down if his inputs weren't heeded to. But the Board of Control for Cricket in India has moved in quickly to rubbish the report.
BCCI's Vice-President and Finance Committee Chairman Rajiv Shukla denied the report. "The reports are baseless and we cannot comment on such reports. There were no differences between the selectors and Dhoni", Shukla said
The skipper, too, was clearly not amused by all the speculation.
"I don't know where these reports come from. What happens inside while the selectors, the captain and coaches are there if it comes out it's disgusting and disrespecting," said Dhoni.
But looks like Dhoni will have to do more than just soothe frayed nerves in the coming days. Will the brave new leader be able to wriggle his way out of the mess that's so synonymous with Indian cricket?
(With inputs from Roma Khanna and Sanjeeb Mukherjea)
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