A little conspiracy theory!

Remember this

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today expressed “disgust” over “leaks” from closed-door selection

committee meetings but stopped short of denying reports of differences with the national selectors.

Dhoni had strongly opposed, in the selection meeting on Thursday, the decision to drop left-arm paceman RP Singh for the final four one-dayers of the series against England, to make room for Irfan Pathan. Confirming this, a national selector told The Sunday Express: “Dhoni was quite upset and angry when we decided to drop RP. There was a heated exchange on this issue during the meeting. Some things were said but this happens.”

Then there was this bit on the Fake IPL Player's blog

Apparently, Captain Kakdi wanted to play this tournament as a specialist batsman. His fingers are sore, swollen, all bruised and patched up due to all the cricket he's played over the last 2 years. And he believes that he commands a place in the side purely as a batsman as well. To my mind, that's a very reasonable demand from a guy who's taken Blues' cricket to heights never seen before. But not quite so for the Big Asses who run the game. He's been told that he doesn't get in if he doesn't keep wickets. Somewhere deep down they probably resent the fact that Captain Kakdi has become bigger than them in the eyes of the public. In their strange drug-induced reasoning, they believe that people stay up late nights to see these good-for-nothings in their pot bellies and ill-fitting safari suits at prize distribution ceremonies. I think someone needs to show them the mirror. Although finding a mirror to fit in their bloated egos will not be easy.

Then there was this

In a bizarre turn of events, the entire Indian team turned up at the pre-match press conference at Trent Bridge on Friday in a "show of unity" following media reports of a rift between senior players.

Once the team had assembled, captain MS Dhoni read out a statement to "the people of India and Indian cricket fans worldwide". The team, he said, was unified, "as good as it has ever been with each individual supporting each other on and off the field". He called the reports, published in the Indian media on Friday, of a rift between himself and Virender Sehwag "false and irresponsible behaviour".

Then, here are the teams selected between Nov 23, 2008 and today

India in Sri Lanka ODI Series, 2008/09
Only T20I: Sri Lanka v India at Colombo (RPS), Feb 10, 2009
India in New Zealand T20I Series, 2008/09
India in New Zealand ODI Series, 2008/09
India in New Zealand Test Series, 2008/09
ICC World Twenty20, 2009
India tour of West Indies, 2009

And now, the 30 probables for the Champions Trophy.

Is there a case that the selectors have been biding their time to get even with Dhoni for his remarks and, post the T20 debacle, they have the carte blanche to do exactly that? I believe there is.

Looking at the teams selected in the period between the spat and now, while the core has remained more or less stable, the fringe selections have more than raised an eyebrow. While each can be explained away in isolation, taken in toto, there is neither continuity nor is there a game plan. More and more, it appears to me as if the selectors have decided to limit MSD's choices.

And then there is the Sehwag injury and the subsequent nonsense. Till date, no selector has stepped forward to state that the selection was made in good faith because they did not believe the injury to be serious enough ( despite Sehwag missing a few IPL games owing to a different injury). And when the shit hit the ceiling, it was left to MSD to salvage the situation.

I also think that the selectors are over playing their hand - a team can only lose so much before public opinion turns against it. And while that may be a good enough reason to get rid of MSD, the greater problem of inflicting the team with self doubt and losing its ability to win will be detrimental to the selectors.

And with Gary Kirsten's contract coming to an end this season, there is only so much turmoil the team can take (if indeed he decides not to continue).

The Empire may be striking back, but are the selectors chopping their noses to spite their face?