The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is looking for a chairman of selectors for the senior men’s Indian cricket team after Chetan Sharma resigned from the post more than six months ago following a sting operation on Zee News channel. With barely four months left for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 to begin in India from October 5, the BCCI is desperate to fill the vacancy at the earliest.
As per the rules of the BCCI constitution, the chairman of selectors should be from the northern zone instead of Chetan Sharma, who hails from the same zone and one of the biggest names doing the rounds is former India opener Virender Sehwag. The ‘Nawab of Najafgarh’ has never held an administrative position in any cricket body since his international retirement in 2015.
But according to a report in PTI news agency, the biggest hurdle for Sehwag to take over as the chairman of selectors is the remuneration paid by the BCCI. Chetan Sharma lost his job in February following a sting operation where he was seen discussing confidential information related to Indian players and team selection.
Former India opener Shiv Sundar Das, who has 23 Tests to his name, then replaced Sharma as chairman of the panel, which also has S Sharath (South), Subroto Banerjee (Central) and Salil Ankola (West).
The chairman of the senior selection panel earns Rs 1 crore annually while four other members are paid Rs 90 lakh per annum. The last time the selection panel was headed by eminent former cricketers was when former captain Dilip Vengsarkar (2006–2008) and Krishnamachari Srikkanth (2008–2012) were at the helm.
Vengsarkar’s job was honorary and it was only after Srikkanth took over that the BCCI started paying its selectors. Mohinder Amarnath also became part of the panel while Sandeep Patil also headed the committee later. Amarnath’s position became untenable after he developed differences with the then BCCI president N Srinivasan over MS Dhoni’s future as captain following the Indian team’s twin defeats in England and Australia.
Till date, there is only one big name eligible for the post of selector from North Zone and that is the legendary Virender Sehwag, said a PTI news report. The former opener, however, will consider the job only if BCCI approaches him with a good salary package.
“At the time of COA, Viru was asked to apply for the job of head coach and then it went to Anil Kumble. It is unlikely that he will apply himself and the salary package is also not something that would be financially viable for someone of his stature,” a BCCI official told PTI on condition of anonymity. “But if we talk about height, only he makes the cut from North Zone.”
Former cricketers with notable international achievements Either associated with broadcast channels or as an expert with IPL teams. Some are involved in running academies while others write syndicated columns and also do a lot of sponsored work, all of which cumulatively help them earn much more than the annual package of BCCI.
“It is not that BCCI cannot pay at least Rs 4-5 crore to a chairman of selectors. This can actually solve a lot of conflict of interest issues that prevent prominent players from even thinking of getting into the selection committee,” argued the source.
Who should be the chief selector of Team India?
1. Virender Sehwag
2. Harbhajan Singh
3. Yuvraj Singh
4. Zaheer KhanWe need big names for this position, who can play a direct role in the selection and the captain has to listen to this.
BCCI can pay him a reasonable fee or allow his endorsement – Vaibhav Bhola__ (@vibhubhola) February 15, 2023
Some of the other North Zone stalwarts are Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh, but all three are yet to meet the criteria of the five-year retirement period, unless the BCCI relaxes it and makes it five years from the last international game. Year does.
Former wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra is an option if BCCI doesn’t get any big name from North Zone. When Chetan Sharma was reappointed he was one of the candidates shortlisted by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising Ashok Malhotra, Sulakshana Naik and Jatin Paranjpe. Another option could be Vivek Razdan, who has seen a lot of domestic cricket in the past decade as a BCCI panel commentator.
“If I am approached, I would be interested and it would be an honor to serve Indian cricket. But I believe for the post of selector, one should apply only if you are asked to apply,” Razdan, who is currently holidaying in the US, said.
Former India spinner Maninder Singh had applied twice. He was called for the interview for the first time but did not get the call for the second time.
(With PTI inputs)