BCCI reads the Riot Act

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary and president-elect N. Srinivasan is understood to have read the Riot Act during his meeting with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, coach Gary Kirsten and a couple of senior players on Thursday. 

Till late at night there was no independent confirmation, but sources have indicated that Srinivasan (who was accompanied by chairman of selection committee, Krishnamachari Srikkanth) made the following points:

a) That the composition of the XI needs to be reviewed.

b) That off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin should feature in the XI against the West Indies on Sunday, and

c) That the business of optional nets has to come to an end.

One learns Dhoni and Co. were told to get their act right in no uncertain terms.

The Indians take on the West Indies in their last World Cup league match at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

Srinivasan’s meeting with Dhoni and some of the other senior players comes just days after India crashed to their first defeat in the ongoing World Cup against South Africa in Nagpur. The Indian middle and late order put in a sordid performance, losing their last nine wickets for 29 runs. The bowling, too, failed to live up to the mark.

The decision to give Ashish Nehra the last over came in for much criticism. With 13 runs needed off the last over, South Africa smashed 16 with two balls remaining.

India’s batting during the Powerplays have also come under the scanner. Not only have they failed to score runs, the loss of regular wickets during the Powerplays have compounded their problems.

The Indians on Thursday underwent a two-hour long practice session without Dhoni and vice-captain Virender Sehwag at the IIT Chemplast ground in Chennai .

Barring Dhoni and Sehwag, the rest of the Indian players turned up for practice under the watchful eyes of coach Kirsten and mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton.