NEW DELHI: Selecting a team that represents the nation is no easy task and can sometimes lead to disagreements, but it all happens in the interest of the country, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar revealed.
Agarkar disclosed that he had nearly ended up in 'bust-ups' with former India head coach Rahul Dravid while selecting the best squad for the country.
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"I mean Rahul Dravid was coach before this - he's a dear friend - and we've had some, I won't call it bust-ups, but we've had some real disagreements with regards to what he wants," Agarkar said. "But that's because we are trying to do what's in the interest of the team," Agarkar said at the 'NDTV World Summit'.
Agarkar emphasised that team selection is a collaborative effort, requiring in-depth discussions with the full selection panel, the head coach, and the team captain.
"Eventually, once you reach that selection meeting, most of us are on the same page," he said. "We've had lots of discussions leading up to that and lots of disagreements, which is important. There are five people who will have different thoughts - hopefully not five completely different thoughts - but the fact that we have those disagreements means we have more than one option for a particular spot."
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Agarkar highlighted that while the final selection rests with the committee, involving coaches and captains in discussions ensures better decisions and eases their responsibilities.
"Eventually, it's our decision to make. Whether it was with Rahul before or Gautam [Gambhir] now, and even with captains - Rohit before this and Shubman now - we discuss things. Our job is to try and give the best possible 15 so that the captain and coach can have their life made a little bit easier. And if you don't involve them in the discussion, it'll be foolish," he noted.
Agarkar emphasised that open communication with the coach and captain continues even after the squad has been finalised.
"Even now when the team's playing in Australia, I'll have discussions with Gautam Gambhir or Shubman Gill. There's a South Africa series immediately to follow. So you're always constantly trying to see how best you can improve the team."
