CoA empowers selection panel, BCCI secretary no longer the convener

The BCCI's secretary will no longer convene selection meetings. Following a directive from the Committee of Administrators (CoA), the chairpersons of the respective selection committees will now convene the meetings except on overseas tours, where the team's administrative manager will take over the convener's role.

The meeting of the senior men's selectors to pick the team for the upcoming tour of the West Indies, meanwhile, has been postponed. It was scheduled to be held on Friday, and the BCCI will announce a new date shortly.

It has been a long-standing practice in Indian cricket for the BCCI's secretary to convene and attend meetings of the selection committee.

The new BCCI constitution, however, seeks to separate the management and governance functions of the BCCI, with the Apex Council - which includes the secretary - responsible for governance, the professional management team led by the CEO responsible for the management of non-cricketing matters, and the cricket committees - including the selection committee - in charge of managing cricketing matters.

In its directive issued on Thursday, the CoA noted that it had been "informed that the practice of the Hon. Secretary convening and attending selection committee meetings has continued even after the New BCCI Constitution has become effective.

"Further, it is learnt that the selection committees continue to address emails to Hon. Secretary to seek his approval in relation to any change or replacement in the team(s). Similarly, the selection committees continue to address e-mails to the Hon. Secretary seeking his approval on travel arrangements and posting for selectors to watch and attend cricket matches."

Following the CoA's directive, the BCCI's office bearers and the CEO will no longer attend any meetings of the cricket committees.

The selection committee chairperson or the team's administrative manager, on tour, will prepare minutes of every selection meeting, and forward them to the secretary for record-keeping. The selection committee will not need the approval of either the BCCI secretary or the CEO in relation to the teams they select and any changes or replacements they make.