Black Caps coach Gary Stead has denied reports that he was "overruled" by captain Kane Williamson in picking the squad for the Cricket World Cup.
Multiple reports suggested that Williamson had pushed strongly for the inclusion of Ish Sodhi in the Cricket World Cup squad, ahead of ToddAstle, who was said to be preferred by Stead, his former coach at Canterbury.
However, Stead poured cold water on that speculation, insisting he has the final say in selection.
"We consult widely with [our selections] and Kane is clearly a person that has input into that, as are New Zealand cricket scouts and the selectors themselves, but at the end of the day that's my call to make.
"Kane pulls his information back through me as normal processes and from there the selectors come together and have discussion.
"I think it's great that the captain has input because they're the guys that are out on the field as well, but ultimately the decision comes back to [selector] Gavin Larsen and myself to make that call."
Ish Sodhi was picked over Todd Astle for the Cricket World Cup. Photo / Photosport
Stead explained why Sodhi had gotten the nod over Astle in what he admitted was a tough call to make.
"The composition of the leg spinners was very tough and both had signs at times that they should've been the one that was selected," Stead said.
"We just felt that Ish might have the chance to take more bags of wickets, or bowl at critical times, and I think that was the thing which just got him over the line."
When speaking this morning to Jason Pine on Radio Sport, Stead also noted how Astle and some of the other fringe Black Caps who missed out on the World Cup squad were unlucky.
"If you look at the guys who played this year in our home series, they're the ones who were probably in the forefront of our minds – the likes of Todd Astle, Tim Seifert and Doug Bracewell – they're the ones who you would say are the most unlucky.
"Then we've got some guys with injuries as well, Adam Milne, Corey Anderson – guys who have been at the previous World Cup who are just unselectable at this stage because of injury."
