Zaheer’s comments on Agarkar invite selectors’ ire

Zeenews Sports Bureau

Mumbai: Ajit Agarkar’s exclusion from the Mumbai squad for the Ranji tie against Orissa has raised another controversy with Zaheer Khan criticising the selection panel for the decision. This in turn has infuriated Milind Rege, Mumbai’s chairman of selector, who has expressed his disappointment over Zaheer’s comments. "I am very hurt. Because if anybody questions my ability to select or my judgment, it is an opinion of the other person. But if anybody questions my integrity, I will not accept it." Rege told a website when asked to react on Zaheer’s statements on Wednesday. Zaheer had accused the selectors of holding back and bringing down the Mumbai cricket’s development by taking such ‘disgraceful’ decisions. “I am not the kind of person to say all this, but I just feel that people like Rege and Sulakshan are actually pulling Mumbai cricket back." Zaheer told a leading daily when asked what he felt about Agarkar’s exclusion from the Mumbai team. He further added, "This is an utter disgrace. I am very disappointed and hurt by the way the whole situation has been handled. It is high time things get sorted out." Zaheer had supported Agarkar’s decision to leave the squad after knowing that he was being left out of the final XI and will be warming the benches as a reserve. Ajit Agarkar played 26 Tests and 191 ODIs for India before being dropped out of the squad after inconsistent performances.