BCCI must scrutinise team management's role: Saba Karim

New Delhi, July 13 (PTI) Former national selector Saba Karim has urged the BCCI to scrutinise the Indian team management's role in the unprecedented twin T20I series debacles against Ireland and England and take appropriate measures. India lost 0-2 to Ireland and were whitewashed 0-4 by England in back-to-back T20I series defeats. "After such a disastrous series — a whitewash with huge margins of defeat — no one can abdicate responsibility — not only the support staff including Head Coach Gautam Gambhir but also the captain (Shreyas Iyer) and the vice-captain (Tilak Varma)," Karim told PTI during an interaction. "I think, these people are the think-tank of the Indian side, more so when you're travelling outside India. The BCCI must examine their role and responsibility for the debacle," the former India stumper added. The former India selector, however, gave the newly appointed captain Shreyas Iyer, the benefit of doubt and urged selectors to persist with him. "I hope that once you have invested in a captain like Shreyas Iyer, you continue to give him more support and back him. "But I also feel that the time is right now for Iyer to assert himself in terms of planning, in terms of resources, in terms of the kind of vision he has. It is up to him now to lead the team forward and to have the right resources under him," he stressed. When asked whether tough decisions, including an overhaul of coaching and support staff was needed, Karim said that it was BCCI's prerogative. "That is why the BCCI has called for a meeting where all these individuals or all such people who are given this responsibility will be invited and they will have a discussion," he noted. Karim also stressed the need for a conducive environment in which players felt secure. "I feel that you need to have a conducive environment where players feel far more secure and go out to play in a fearless manner, which is required in a T20 format. "This is such a series which should help India to learn, not only as a team, but also as the selection committee as to what happened that India had to suffer this kind of defeat against England and before that against Ireland," he highlighted. When asked about the coach's role in motivating and getting the best out of the players, Saba said: "That is what is expected. But if it has not happened, that's the reason why. I mean, that is why the BCCI needs to find the reason for what went wrong. "That is why this kind of discussion and meeting is required. And only then you can, once you start to address the certain issues due to which India lost, only then one can step ahead and take some positive steps forward. "I think one needs to step forward and become a much better side. You need to analyze. You need to introspect.You need to address issues and concerns. And only then can one take positive steps forward," he added. PTI SR KHS KHS