West Bengal minister Manoj Tiwary criticises MS Dhoni over India snub in the past

In a candid revelation, Manoj Tiwary, the newly retired cricketer and current West Bengal Minister, voiced his grievances regarding his cricketing career, specifically pointing fingers at MS Dhoni for his limited appearances for the Indian cricket team. During a felicitation event at the Calcutta Sports Journalists' Club, Tiwary expressed his discontent over the choices made during Dhoni's captaincy that, according to him, stunted his potential career trajectory alongside contemporary legends like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.

Reflecting on his cricket journey, Tiwary questioned the rationale behind his exclusion from the team following his century in 2011 against the West Indies. "I would like to ask Dhoni, why I was dropped from the playing XI in 2011 after scoring a century? I had the potential to be a hero just like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli but could not be. Today, when I see many people getting more opportunities on TV, I feel sad,” Tiwary remarked, as reported by Cricbuzz.

Having debuted in ODI cricket in 2008 under Dhoni's leadership, Tiwary's career saw a promising turn with his maiden ODI century in 2011. However, his journey with the Indian team saw sporadic appearances thereafter, often in second-string squads, leaving Tiwary to ponder what might have been had the selection decisions favored him differently.

Further elaborating on his career's missed opportunities, Tiwary shared with News18 his near-selection moments and the puzzling lack of follow-up after standout performances. "I was very close, but they picked Yuvraj Singh instead. So the Test cap and the fact that I was ignored after getting the Man of the Match award for scoring a hundred...I was ignored for 14 straight matches,” he disclosed.

England coach Brendon McCullum commits to ‘Bazball’ despite 434-run defeat against India