Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni today expressed “disgust” over “leaks” from closed-door selection committee meetings but stopped short of denying reports of differences with the national selectors.

Dhoni had strongly opposed, in the selection meeting on Thursday, the decision to drop left-arm paceman RP Singh for the final four one-dayers of the series against England, to make room for Irfan Pathan. Confirming this, a national selector told The Sunday Express: “Dhoni was quite upset and angry when we decided to drop RP. There was a heated exchange on this issue during the meeting. Some things were said but this happens.”

A report on Saturday in Ananda Bazaar Patrika suggested that Dhoni had told the selectors he would quit if he didn’t have his way.

On the eve of the fourth ODI in Bangalore, Dhoni admitted that the report had created a bit of a problem for him regarding his immediate dealings with RP Singh and Irfan Pathan. “In a scenario like this, you have to get in touch with both RP Singh and Irfan Pathan and ensure that there are no differences,” Dhoni said. “RP shouldn’t feel that I’m going out of the way in supporting him, nor should Irfan feel unwanted.” He said that both players trusted him and that would help “ease” the situation. Dhoni stressed that the confidentiality between the captain and the selectors should be respected at all times. “I don’t know from where the reports came from. What happens inside while the selectors and the captains are there, if it comes comes out, it is disgusting, it’s disrespecting,” he said.

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