Coulter-Nile slams selectors for poor communication over omission from ODI team

Sydney, January 7: Fast bowler Nathan Coulter-Nile has criticised poor communication from Australia selectors following his omission from the ODI squad to face India this month, saying they have not checked his fitness status properly.

Cricket Australia selector Trevor Hohns had said Coulter-Nile was not picked due to lower back soreness but the paceman, who has a long injury history, claimed subsequent scans had cleared him.

Australia named the ODI team on January 4

BREAKING: Australia's ODI squad to take on India #AUSvIND

Aaron Finch (c), Usman Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Mitch Marsh (vc), Alex Carey (vc), Jhye Richardson, Billy Stanlake, Jason Behrendorff, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2019

"I didn't take (the news) the best, to be honest. I think it was communicated to me really poorly," Coulter-Nile was quoted as saying by 'ABC Radio'.

"I won't go into it, but I don't think soreness is really any excuse for not playing cricket. In fairness, I hadn't had a scan yet. I had had back soreness and back history, but I hadn't had a scan to see what was wrong. I had one when I got home and it was all clear."

The paceman said the selectors had picked the team even before he underwent a scan to know what was wrong with his back and he further said that he understood there will always be a cautious approach taken for fast bowlers with a history of back problems but added he wanted to be aware of the full picture.

.@martinsmith9994 looks at the surprising omissions from Australia's ODI squad #AUSvIND https://t.co/8XpmYSQufR

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 4, 2019

"I was getting some mixed messages about what was happening - that's just the way it is. I have no issue with being dropped, I just like to get a clear message about why - I was told it was because I had a sore back," he said.

"JL (coach Justin Langer) asked me when they were selecting the team, I said I have a sore back but I haven't had a scan yet. With my history, it was just better off to check it. I think communication used to be a little bit better - from everyone."

There has been some disquiet among the axed players over lack of communication on selection decisions. The subject of communication between selectors and players was also highlighted by Australian Cricketers Association president Greg Dyer amid the ongoing debate about potential being given more sway than performance.