Upset Gautam Gambhir storms out of selectionmeeting

NEW DELHI:Delhi skipper Gautam Gambhir on Tuesday stormed out of the selection meetingfor the Ranji Trophy squad for their away match against Odisha which starts onFriday. According to sources close to the development, Gambhir, who has beencaptaining the state side this season, didn't get the players he wanted, whichupset him.

Sources said that a "disgusted" Gambhir even said he would not leadthe team anymore.

"Gambhir was furious at not being given the combination he wanted. Hecomplained to some officials that there was no point in leading the team if hisopinion was not considered important. The selection committee has named him theskipper and it's up to him to decide if he wants to lead the side," said aDDCA official on Thursday.

Sources told TOI that Gambhir did not put up a stern defence for the strugglingwicketkeeper Punit Bisht, who has been replaced by Rahul Yadav, but he wantedan extra spinner in the squad, keeping in mind how the surface could play.

"Gambhir wanted off-spinner Manoj Chauhan in the team but the selectorsdecided in favour of an extra batsman in Mohit Sharma who bats up the order.There is a fight for places in the Delhi team. Milind Kumar hasn't got a chancedespite a good challenger series because the top-order is packed with bignames," said the source.

DDCA's chief selector Chetan Chauhan denied any differences with the captain."We have selected a 15-member side with two spinners in Varun Sood and MananSharma and there are no such problems (with Gambhir). The team will leave onWednesday morning," Chauhan said.

Courtsey: TOI