The big-ticket Test series whitewashes to England and Australia in 2011 and 2012 witnessed the retirement of some of Team India’s stalwarts. Following the victory in the 2011 World Cup, India experienced a roller-coaster transition period over the subsequent two years, being whitewashed 0-4 in an away Test series against England and Australia.
These losses witnessed some of the Indian stalwarts being omitted from the Indian team. The selectors had even voted unanimously to remove MS Dhoni as captain, with one of the principal players of the selection panel at that point in time being former India all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath. Recalling that incident, Yograj Singh, the father of former India sensation Yuvraj Singh, has harshly attacked Amarnath and his colleagues.
You (BCCI selectors) just ruined these boys for nothing. Boys like Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Kaif, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid.
You just ruined the team after 2011,” Yograj stated, addressing InsideSport. You just ruined the team following the 2011 World Cup. The careers of 7 players were shoved into the gutter. That is why we are struggling,” Yograj added.
The high-profile England and Australia series defeats witnessed the likes of Gambhir, Yuvraj, Zaheer and Harbhajan gradually phased out of the national side. Dravid and Laxman, however, brought down the curtains on their great Test careers.
Even though they were key members of the 2011 World Cup victory team, Gambhir, Yuvraj, Zaheer and Harbhajan were all totally out of the picture for the ODI side by the time the 2015 World Cup rolled around. Yograj was criticizing Amarnath for mishandling those players and their careers during that particular point in time.
“We lost five series when MS Dhoni was captain and he was informed that he would be replaced by Mohinder Amarnath, but that is not the way to do it,” said Yograj.
Amarnath had previously indicated that Dhoni was ready to be replaced as captain after the whitewashes, but his termination had been stalled by then-BCCI President N. Srinivasan.
“When you respect an individual you don’t ask questions. My question is, if you have a selection panel who believe what is good for Indian cricket, then why are they not entrusted with a free hand?” Amarnath had informed CNN-IBN in 2012.
