dailyO
Sports

Can a selection committee with little international experience sit in judgment of Indian cricket demigods

Advertisement
Rasesh Mandani
Rasesh MandaniSep 22, 2016 | 13:33

Can a selection committee with little international experience sit in judgment of Indian cricket demigods

Each of India's last few chairmen of selectors, Kiran More, Dilip Vengsarkar, Krish Srikkanth and Sandeep Patil, had one thing in common. They were battle-hardened test cricketers.

The new chairman, MSK Prasad, has played six Test matches for India. Between Prasad, Sarandeep Singh, Devang Gandhi, Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjpe, the new committee has combined the international experience of 13 Test matches and 31 One-Day Internationals (ODI).

Advertisement

Which begs the question, will they be in a position to take tough calls demanded of selectors?

It's an open secret that selectors with little or no international experience have commanded little respect among India's top players. On such occasions, a strong selection chairman has forced the players to accept the tough calls.

The Dilip Vengsarkar-led selection committee, for example, during its term took the brave call to drop heavyweights like Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid from the ODI team. The then young skipper MS Dhoni prompted the selectors to have a fitter team.

dhoni-embed_092216011509.jpg
Ninth year into captaincy, MS Dhoni now finds himself under pressure to retain his ODI place. (Photo credit: PTI)  

Ninth year into captaincy, Dhoni now finds himself under pressure to retain his ODI place. Will MSK's team of selectors be able to objectively sit in judgment on Dhoni's future and look beyond the weight of his numbers?

While cricketing acumen and an eye for talent can make up for lack of international experience, one of the reasons Indian cricket needs selectors who have "been there, done that" is the star value of cricketers they pick and sometimes have to drop.

Public sentiment and commercial pressures make the decision to drop a star more complex for a selector with a lower profile.

Advertisement

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has also done little to reach out to cricketers of higher stature to become selectors. Annual remuneration of Rs 60 lakh is unattractive for bigger names.

The head coach of the Indian team takes home Rs 6 crore. Commentators working with BCCI have contracts running into crores. India A coach Rahul Dravid takes home a handsome sum, but the selectors perhaps come much lower down in the priority chain.

No wonder Indian cricket is left with selectors who are "yes men". Not each in the new committee may be puppets, but with a combined Test match experience of 13, they will continue to find their credibility questioned.

Last updated: September 22, 2016 | 15:41
IN THIS STORY
Please log in
I agree with DailyO's privacy policy