Parvez Rasool’s inclusion in the India squad for the just-concluded five-ODI tour of Zimbabwe was an honest decision, but by no means an easy one. The fact that the all-rounder hailed from the troubled state of Kashmir meant that crass politics would eventually cast a shadow over any sporting logic that must have led to his selection.
But as it turned out, Rasool was benched for all the matches. If his selection spawned conspiracy theories about India trying to appease the disenchanted Kashmiris by picking one of their own to play for the country, the fact that he did not make the playing eleven even once only served to further complicate matters.
The state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was peeved with the team management’s decision not to award an India cap to Rasool, tweeting sarcastically: “Did you have to take him all the way to Zim to demoralise him? Wouldn’t it have been cheaper to do it at home?”
Not to be left behind, union minister Shashi Tharoor joined in: “Bizarre selection. Could easily have rested Jadeja & Raina for Rasool & Rahane,” he tweeted. “What’s the point leading 4-0 if you can’t give every member of the touring team a chance to play at least once now by reshuffling the deck?”
Not taking away their right to express their views, do they at least concede that the national selectors, coach and captain are competent enough to pick the squad and the playing eleven?
Bizarrely, even captain Virat Kohli chose to defend the selection when there was no need for him to do so. Kohli tried to justify Rasool sitting out, saying Amit Mishra was cooling his heels for the last two months and he had to be played and that the Kashmiri young man will get his opportunity when he travels with the India ‘A’ team to South Africa from Zimbabwe.
Rasool, who has scored more than 1000 runs and taken 46 wickets in first-class cricket, himself has said he has learnt a lot from the tour and would try his best impress the selectors in the hope of playing for India. Rasool will surely shake off the disappointment of not getting to make his debut, but whether he will be able to handle the political storm around him remains to be seen.