MSK Prasad stresses on Age Bar

MSK Prasad stresses that he and his selection committee do not look at the age of the players while determining whether to take them in the squad or not.


What they consider the most is the form and the fitness, fitness in particular because they realised during the Champions trophy that India was not amongst the fittest teams in the world.

The selectors have talked to the board and now it has been decided that there will be a fitness test of the players ahead of every series and each and every player in contention will have to come through that test first.

As per Prasad, there isn’t going to be any relaxation in terms of fitness for anyone and every player, senior or junior, young or old, will have to meet the fitness benchmark that will be set, otherwise he will find himself out of contention for selection.

Prasad also discloses that the selectors have shortlisted a pool of players out of which the final squad for the World Cup will be formed.

And now that pool of players is going to play on a rotational basis. Some of the mainstays of the team will be kept put from every series and on their places, the youngsters will be given exposure.

Then after 4-5 series, the selectors and the team management will come to the conclusion which are the youngsters they think have the ability and the temperament to play at the world level.

Once those youngsters are identified, they will have the backing of everyone and they will thereafter be persisted with for the next year, year and a half so that they get sufficiently cooked ahead of the World Cup which will also be held in the United Kingdom just like the Champions Trophy.