‘Don’t think it’s me alone’ frustrated with Giles, says Carberry

Michael Carberry has hit out at Ashley Giles for his opaque decision-making and poor results. '...disappointing, but it's the way they tend to do things' he said.

England opening batsman Michael Carberry has criticised team management for leaving him in the dark about his playing future and questioned selectors over their decision to axe Kevin Pietersen, British media reported.

The 33-year-old was England’s second highest run-scorer after Pietersen in their ill-fated Ashes series in Australia but was overlooked by limited overs coach Ashley Giles for the subsequent one-day series and the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

Carberry questioned Giles’ communication skills after approaching him for an explanation on his omission during the one-day series in Australia.

“I had a brief chat with Ashley during the fifth ODI in Adelaide,” Carberry told The Guardian. “His response was that he didn’t really know. If you don’t know mate, I sure ... won’t know.”

He hadn’t heard anything since, he added.

“Nothing - which is disappointing but it’s the way they tend to do things ... I don’t think it’s me alone saying this sort of thing. There have been players before me and players now who have felt the same thing.”

Giles, touted to succeed Andy Flower as head coach of all England’s teams, has been under fire for the limited overs teams’ performances in recent months, which reached a nadir on Monday with a humiliating 45-run loss to associate side Netherlands at the World Twenty20 in Bangladesh.

Carberry said he wasn’t optimistic about his place in England’s test set-up if the team was to fall under Giles’ portfolio.

“Leaving Adelaide after our brief chat I’ve got to be honest, it didn’t fill me with a great deal of optimism,” he said. “I feel that this is a question he should have answered.

“And, OK, if it’s not him answering, it should be one of the selectors. But that’s the way England like to do things.

“It disappoints me because I’m quite an approachable guy. Maybe I’m a bit straight-talking but it’s the best way to be in this world - say what’s on your mind.

“I’m sitting here disappointed I’m not involved in the one-day setup. I seem to have been left out for some unknown reason. I don’t think it’s a cricket reason because my one-day stats speak for themselves over the last few seasons.

“So I’m disappointed the selectors haven’t fronted up and spoken to me.”

Carberry said some “very strange” decisions had been made since the Ashes debacle.

“(Pietersen) was a big surprise,” he said of his former Hampshire team mate’s omission.

“Through the tour, certainly, Kev was very helpful to me. Over the years Kev, as one of the greats of the game, has always been very helpful in talking about the mental side.

“In England’s position you want to retain that knowledge as much as you can. You hope he will still be around the county game for the benefit of the next generation.”

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