Former Australian skipper Ian Chappell emphasized the fact that there is a severe need for capable selectors who can recognize the talent very early in order to shape the senior Test sides in a strong combination.
Former Australian cricketer and senior cricket journalist Ian Chappell emphasized the fact that there is a severe need for capable selectors who can recognize the talent earlier in every team in order to shape the senior Test sides in a strong combination.
Chappell gave the example of Keegan Peterson who came out as a serious talent and helped his side in stealing a 2-1 victory in the Test series.
“South Africa surprisingly defeated India in an old-fashioned dogfight that included some enthralling cricket. It also involved ample emotion of the sort that has notably been missing from an Ashes contest that has been surprisingly uncontroversial so far. The South Africa series featured bowling domination on pitches that were probably too much in favor of the fielding side, but there was also some exquisite batting,”
Chappell wrote in his column.
“Because defiant batting wasn’t prevalent, gutsy innings by Dean Elgar, Temba Bavuma, KL Rahul, and Virat Kohli stood out. The exhilarating shot-making extravaganzas of Rishabh Pant and Keegan Petersen proved that aggressive batting with scoring in mind could be achieved even on testing surfaces. In particular, Petersen’s sudden rise to fame has been a revelation and raises the question of where he has been all this while. This example exposes one of the mysteries of Test cricket: do some selectors know what they should be looking for,”
he added.
Peterson scored 276 runs in the three-match series against India and was awarded as player of the series for his remarkable and consistent performance with the bat.
“Petersen is in his prime, at 28, but he has only played five Tests. Despite lacking experience, he has all the requirements of a Test No. 3, including a wide range of shots that he is prepared to play, plus a solid defense. So why is he only playing now? Sometimes players deserve an opportunity on potential and temperament alone and this is where good selection stands out,”
said Chappell.
“There’s often a temptation to choose gritty players and there are times when this can be a wise selection. On the other hand, fans expect to see a few aggressive young players selected, and when these players come off, they provide great entertainment,”
he added.
Chappell pointed out the fact that capable selectors are required in every team who can recognize the talent earlier to perform for the national team and that is why selectors should be given more importance than the coaches.
“A good Test selector is capable of including both considerations in his choices and that is why they are highly regarded. When it comes to financial rewards, cricket should start valuing selection more highly than coaching; it would make a pleasant and worthwhile change,”
said Chappell.