Committee suggests overhaul of selection process

Sourav Ganguly was part of the special committee that proposed measures to improve Indian cricket © Getty Images

A special committee of the Indian board has suggested that strict eligibility criteria should be laid down for national and state level selectors. A meeting of the committee, comprising former as well as current cricketers, suggested that only professionals who are accountable must be picked for the job.

"It was recommended in the meeting that a selector should have fixed tenure and he should be best qualified to take up the job. For this the board should lay down the qualification," IS Bindra, chairman of the special committee, told reporters here after the meeting. The meeting was attended by Kapil Dev, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Srinivas Venkatraghavan, MAK Pataudi, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.

Bindra said although there were different views on the number of national selectors to be appointed, the members were unanimous that only the best in business should be picked for the job. "There were two views on the number of national selectors. Some supported three while others felt a five-man panel should be picked, but everyone was of the consensus that he should be best qualified for the job in terms of expertise and experience.

"They also felt that both national and state level selectors should be professionals and paid remuneration for their jobs," Bindra said. The meeting, which went on for five hours, also saw the members present their views on how to improve the overall game in the country.

The committee also suggested means to improve the cricketing infrastructure and bring it on par with the world's best. The recommendations of the meeting will be submitted before the BCCI Working Committee meeting on April 9 in Mumbai.

"Some of these suggestions can be simply approved by the Working Committee while some other may need constitutional amendments," Bindra said. "The discussions were fruitful, focused and meaningful. The players gave various suggestions on how to improve the game."

Regarding improvement in infrastructure, the players suggested that international standard facilities should be provided right from the primary school level. "It should be ensured that right from the grassroot level to primary school, neighbourhood and international level, world class infrastructure should be provided in terms of facilities," he said. "There should be academies in each of the five zones providing coaching facilities.

"Maintenance of the turf was also discussed and the committee found that there should be a tie-up with the agriculture university to train the support staff and also to fund research in these areas. All affiliated units would be given a time frame to develop the infrastructure and subsidy will be given depending upon the facilities that they put up. If the facilities are found to be substandard, then they could be penalised also," Bindra said.

The committee also said strict measures should be taken to improve the standard of umpiring at first-class level. "There should be a competent panel of match referees and former players and all matches should be recorded. Substandard umpires should be weeded out." The members also suggested that the board should institute annual awards. "Awards should be given for the best player, best association, umpires, etc."