Left-arm fast bowler Krishmar Santokie is crying foul in regard to his non-selection to Jamaica's team for this month's West Indies Cricket Board NAGICO Super50 tournament.
Santokie, one of the region's best Twenty20 bowlers, was left out of Jamaica's 14-member squad after it was revealed by chairman of selectors Wavell Hinds that he had a medical condition.
However, according to Santokie, while he has a back injury, he is fit enough to play, and that his being left out could be for other reasons.
"I will not say what I think it is as a result of; however, I just don't think it is because of injury," Santokie said.
Santokie, who was voted the most valuable player of the inaugural Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 last year, explained that he picked up a slight back injury while representing Manchester in a national one-day tournament last June.
He said the injury, however, tapered off thereafter and he was able to play the CPL in July and August.
"I had the injury right through playing in the CPL, and was treated by the medical staff of the Guyana Amazon Warriors," he said.
"I even did an MRI scan on it to see what was happening and it did not show anything."
The 29-year-old, who has represented West Indies twice, also said that following the CPL, he did not play much cricket until the national Super50 and Four-day squads were named last December.
The injury returned during training sessions and trial matches, which forced him to stop playing on a few occasions as a means of precaution.
ultimatum
However, Santokie said he was strong enough to bowl thereafter, which in his opinion he did well enough, even amidst an ultimatum by Hinds, during the trial matches.
"The chairman of selectors at the end of the second trial game came to me and said he received a report from the doctor saying that I should sit out the tournament," he said.
"I said to him that I spoke to Dr Mansingh a short while ago, and he did not tell me that.
"He then said he had spoken to Dr Mansingh before I spoke to Dr Mansingh.
"After that he said I am a senior player, and he was going to give me the benefit of the doubt.
"He said he wanted me to play in the last two back-to-back trial matches, and he wanted me to stay on field for 50 overs and that I should bowl 10 overs in both games.
"This was to see how well I could manage and then he will assess if I am fit enough.
"I said no problem and did exactly what was asked of me.
"I bowled in every power play and pressure situation during the two games."
Santokie said having completed his assignments, he was looking forward to being selected, only to be told by Hinds that a medical report prepared by head of the JCA medical panel, Mansingh, was not favourable.
