Former India selector Sandeep Patil has dismissed allegations that former India captain MS Dhoni played a role in removing Yuvraj Singh from the national team. Speaking in a recent interview, Patil clarified that Dhoni never asked the selection committee to drop Yuvraj during his tenure as chairman of selectors. The remarks come in response to repeated claims made by Yograj Singh, Yuvraj’s father, who has previously accused Dhoni of harming his son’s cricketing career.

During the interview on journalist Vicky Lalwani’s YouTube show, Patil stated that Dhoni always respected the independence of the selection committee. According to him, the former India captain never influenced selection meetings or requested the removal of any player, including Yuvraj. Patil emphasized that Dhoni had complete confidence in the selectors and refrained from interfering in team selection matters throughout his leadership period.

The controversy dates back to 2015, when Yograj Singh alleged that Dhoni did not want Yuvraj included in India’s squad for the ICC ODI World Cup that year. Yograj claimed that personal issues between Dhoni and his son influenced the decision. The selection committee eventually chose Axar Patel in the squad instead of Yuvraj, sparking speculation and criticism from Yograj, who publicly blamed Dhoni for the exclusion.

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Patil, who served as chairman of selectors for the Board of Control for Cricket in India from 2012 to 2016, said the accusations were misplaced. While acknowledging that a father naturally feels strongly about his son’s career, he maintained that Dhoni never pushed for Yuvraj’s removal. Patil’s comments aim to settle the long-running debate and reaffirm that selection decisions during that period were made collectively by the committee rather than being influenced by the team captain.

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