NEW DELHI: It’s not just the administrators, but the Lodha committee recommendations have stumped the national selectors as well. In its 160-page report, the apex court-appointed panel has recommended that the BCCI selection committee should consist of only three past Test cricketers.
This has put selectors in a spot. Gagan Khoda, the senior national selector from the Central Zone, may get the boot. Even though he played two ODI s for India, the former Rajasthan cricketer hasn’t played Test cricket ever.
Currently, in the BCCI’s fivemember senior selection committee, Sandeep Patil is the chairman. Former Test cricketers MSK Prasad and Saba Karim represent the South and Eastern zones respectively.
Former opener Vikram Rathour represents the North. “Now, despite representation by every zone, the local associations allege non-representation. Things would get worse if there are only three selectors,” a senior BCCI official said.
Panel Proposal Could Clean Bowl Junior National Selectors
The Justice RM Lodha panel felt that with many different talent-development committees functioning, the need for a five-member panel is unnecessary. One of the responsibilities of the committee will be to provide ‘evaluation reports of the team’s performance’ to the apex council on a ‘quarterly’ basis.
The selection committee will be chosen at the BCCI AGM based on the conditions decided by the apex council.
The future looks worse for the junior selection committee. Even though the Supreme Court panel doesn’t specify its formation of the junior committee, selectors feel they too would have to follow a similar rule.
Should that happen, four members—Aman Kumar (North), Arup Bhattacharya (East), Rakesh Parikh (West) and Gyanendra Pandey (Central)—will have to vacate their seats, since none of them have played Test cricket. Only the current chairman and former India fast bowler Venkatesh Prasad would stay.
The four others—Aman Kumar (North), Arup Bhattacharya (East), Rakesh Parikh (West) and Gyanendra Pandey (Central)—have not played a single Test match in their career. “Though the committee has not specified anything about the junior committee, but things would certainly turn bad if the BCCI follows the line,” a BCCI official, who has also been a member of the selection committee in the past, said.
“Many zones would feel neglected if the committee is reduced to three men. The Board needs to address the issue,” the official added.