‘Don’t see Jonty Rhodes fitting in,’ MSK Prasad reveals reason behind not selecting the South African as India fielding coach

Chairman of selectors MSK Prasad on Thursday explained that Jonty Rhodes wasn’t shortlisted as a man of his stature wouldn’t have fitted it in for India A or U-19 fielding coach’s job. Jonty did not even feature in the fielding coach’s shortlist and incumbent R Sridhar predictably is set to continue. India A and U-19 fielding coach Abhay Sharma came second while T Dilip was third.

“We don’t see Jonty (Rhodes) fitting in there (choice Nos 2 and 3), because those roles are more for India A level and NCA.” Prasad said Sridhar is now one of the best fielding coaches in the world.

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“We are convinced with skill sets of Sridhar. He is one of the best fielding coaches in the world today,” he said.

Prasad said Sridhar has transformed the Indian team into a “wonderful fielding unit”.

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“Unfortunately in the World Cup, may be he (Sridhar) would not have got the desired result as there were two three-keepers in the side (and) the combinations were like that. He has transformed this side into a wonderful fielding unit. So, there is no second thought with regard to Sridhar.”

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In the World Cup, the Indian team had three-four wicket-keepers in the side in M S Dhoni, K L Rahul, Dinesh Karthik and later Rishabh Pant, though the wickets were kept by Dhoni.

Rhodes, who has worked in the past for the Mumbai Indians, was the most high profile candidate in the fray, but he did not get the job.

The appointments are for the next two years, until the end of 2021 T20 World Cup in India.