Sourav in Vadodara on Tuesday. (AFP)

Vadodara, Jan. 30: As the then (senior) selection committee chairman, Kiran More had a big hand in Sourav Ganguly’s exclusion after the 2005 tour of Zimbabwe. Today, however, More sees the former captain as Team India’s first-choice opener in the forthcoming World Cup!

Well, opinions can change with time.…

Among other things, More (joint-secretary of the Baroda Cricket Association) picked his squad of XV during a one-on-one with The Telegraph this afternoon.

The following are excerpts:

Q: You’re going to be remembered as a controversial chairman…

A: (Grins) I went to selection meetings with a straight mind. My colleagues, too… People still haven’t understood the process of team building. They haven’t understood that my committee looked at the future as well... That we wanted some of those who will play a big part in the future to get a taste of international exposure... We have talented cricketers, but they need to know the demands at the highest level.…

Among others, my committee capped Sreesanth and Robin Uthappa. My agenda was to have the best team and, in working towards that, some players had to be dropped.

Q: Was Sourav dropped only because of form?

A: Sourav and Zaheer Khan... You should look at their records in the period immediately before they got dropped. There are times when selectors have to take tough decisions and I’m happy both the board and the team management supported my committee. All moves may not click, but I can say I worked with a straight mind. Of course, I accept mistakes could’ve been made.

Q: Your actions suggested you had something personal against Sourav…

A: Not at all. I’ve always maintained Sourav is an outstanding cricketer... I didn’t forget he has over 15,000 runs in Tests and ODIs. Fact of the matter is at that moment (October 2005), we felt he wasn’t in the best of form and needed to sit out. We felt the same about Zaheer. A message needed to be sent that if you don’t perform, then you’ve got to sit out. Today, I’m happy that both have come back so strongly and don’t forget I’d consistently said that the doors hadn’t been closed for anybody. People have been focusing on Sourav, so Zaheer hasn’t got the credit he deserves.

Sourav Ganguly and Kiran More

Q: Did you expect Sourav to make an unbeaten 51 on his Test comeback (in South Africa) and 98 (Nagpur) in ODIs?

A: Given his credentials, I didn’t get surprised... Moreover, those who get dropped tend to return strongly as they’re hungry... Look at (Virender) Sehwag, he’s out because he hasn’t performed. If the seniors are persisted with despite failures, then how are juniors going to be groomed? The Australians, for example, have groomed Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke so well. Don’t expect the world from newcomers, though.

Q: You must have met Sourav at the official dinner on Monday. What did you tell him?

A: We wished each other. The usual.… As I’ve said, his exclusion had nothing to do with personal likes or dislikes.

Q: Looking back, don’t you feel the Sourav issue should have been handled better? You could have, in person, explained why he was being dropped.…

A: That’s not the system we follow.

Q: Surely, you could have set a precedent.

A: I agree with what you're saying. The Sourav issue could’ve been handled better, but we work in a system. In India, if you tell somebody something, it’s quite possible he won’t take it nicely. The media, in my opinion, blew things out of proportion. More recently, no hue and cry was raised when Sehwag got dropped. As for a precedent, it’s my committee which set one by dropping Sourav and Zaheer. (After a pause) People are talking of the World Cup, but I tried to look beyond that tournament. I’m confident that all the youngsters we tried will deliver sooner rather than later. Their success is going to vindicate the process we started.

Q: What’s the difference you’ve seen in Sourav and Zaheer?

A: Sourav has been positive. That’s the way to play. He’s realised that he needs to perform. As for Zaheer, his stint with Worcestershire did wonders. He has again begun to bowl quick. If somebody performs, then a Kiran More can’t stop that cricketer from playing for India.

Q: Don’t you think young Piyush Chawla got blooded and dropped too soon?

A: I look at it differently. Now, he knows what’s required at the top and we have an option once Anil Kumble retires.

Q: Your thoughts about Dinesh Karthik making such a strong comeback...

A: Every Indian ought to be pleased... (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni and Karthik are playing like champions and Parthiv Patel is on the sidelines... Not too long ago, if you recall, wicket -keeping had been an issue... Healthy competition is needed and it helps in team-building. Perhaps, we get carried away by hundreds and so on. For me, if somebody’s 50-60 helps the team win, then that’s a bigger achievement than a hundred or even a double hundred.

Q: Four months after your term finished, what’s most pleasing?

A: That we’ve got so many mediumpacers vying for limited berths... I hope (Lakshmipathy) Balaji and (Ashish) Nehra make a comeback as well.

Q: Have you any advice for successor Dilip Vengsarkar.…

A: Dilip and his team must stick to the guys who’ve got opportunities in recent times. There’s no need to worry. Our balance went for a toss (in South Africa) because Irfan Pathan lost form and Munaf Patel wasn’t fit. Then, Yuvraj Singh didn’t make the trip at all .… That knee injury came at a time he was probably batting at his best. Thankfully, he has recovered.

Q: How do you see Team India faring in the World Cup?

A: I’m convinced we’ve got the talent to make the semi-finals… definitely.… After that, well.…

Q: Who should open?

A: There are options --- Sourav and Sachin Tendulkar.… Sourav and Robin Uthappa.… I hope Sehwag will, at some point, again get opportunities to open.

Q: Is Sehwag in your World Cup XV?

A: Absolutely. He’s a matchwinner. I hope he gets at least a couple of ODIs versus Sri Lanka next month. (Pauses yet again) The one who doesn’t get into my squad is Ramesh Powar. He’s very competitive, but I don’t see two specialist off-spinners (Harbhajan Singh being the certainty) going to the West Indies.

Q: The last one: You worked very closely with coach Greg Chappell. His contract will soon be up for renewal... What ought to be done?

A: We must retain him.

KIRAN MORE’S WORLD CUP XV

Batsmen: Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Dinesh Karthik (also the second wicketkeeper), Robin Uthappa.

No. 1 wicketkeeper: Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Allrounder: Irfan Pathan.

Spinners: Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh.

Mediumpacers: Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Munaf Patel.