Manoj Tiwary, former India cricketer, again hogged the limelight after accusing MS Dhoni of favouritism and blamed Dhoni for not supporting him.
Tiwary claimed he never received the backing he deserved despite strong performances.
Tiwary, who played limited international cricket for India, recalled the moments when he felt sidelined despite contributing with both bat and ball. He pointed out that after scoring a century, he was dropped from the side, a decision that still baffles him to this day.
“I think MS Dhoni, Duncan Fletcher, and the selectors will be the ones who will be able to answer that because till now, I haven’t got any answer,” Tiwary said. “I’m not someone who will call up the coach or the selectors or the captain at that time to answer me this. But I’ve earlier said that whenever I come across to MS Dhoni, definitely, I’ll ask him what are the main reasons why I was not given the opportunity after scoring 100. So till now, I have no clue what went wrong, what were their thought process at that point of time. It is a question which needs to be asked of those who have made that decision and who were there at that time, taking the calls.”
While he acknowledged Dhoni’s stature as a leader, Tiwary expressed disappointment that the captain never stood by him.
“See, reputation and perception are things that people go by. But I’m the one, and there are a few others as well in the team who have gone through the period of his tenure as well. So there are a lot of players who have a different version of how he used to back his players,” Tiwary remarked. “In my experience, see, I can only share my experience, what has happened to me. If he had really backed his players, then he would have definitely backed me because I performed in that particular match and over a period of time.”
Tiwary highlighted a sequence where he returned to the team and delivered noteworthy contributions but was still overlooked. “I again came back to the playing 11, I picked up a four-wicket haul in the match against Sri Lanka, scored 21 runs in that game, and the next game as well, I scored 65 runs in Sri Lanka. I don’t know what happened after that. So I didn’t get the backing, which I was hoping to get,” he said.
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For Tiwary, the lack of support despite performances contradicted the belief that selection was based purely on merit. “It’s something very difficult to understand why he didn’t back me because I always felt that performance is the ultimate criterion to make your place in the playing XI or in the squad. But in my case, it didn’t happen. I cannot say for the others. I always say that, that his leadership qualities were very good. But somehow, in my case, I don’t know. He’s the only one who can answer your question.”
Tiwary further suggested that personal preferences influenced selections. “But I think there were a couple of individuals whom he really liked and gave full backing at that point in time. A lot of people know, but not everyone comes forward and speaks about it. So there is a very strong liking and disliking that happens in cricket everywhere. So I consider myself not liking one. He did not like me, maybe. That is the only thing that I can answer you,” he concluded.
Pic Credit (Screen grab: YouTube cricket.com.au)
