Indian news round-up

The Union Sports Minister SS Hinds categorically rejected the suggestion of BCCI president AC Muthiah. In response to the earlier statement by Muthiah, Dhindsa while speaking to reporters in New Delhi said "India's withdrawal from the Sahara Cup cricket tournament against Pakistan cannot be the ground for its staying away from the Olympics where that country would also participate."

Dhindsa said there was a lot of difference between the Sahara Cup and the Olympics. "Olympics is not restricted to one country. Every country participates in it. Such logic is not applicable there." This was in response to the statement made by Muthiah who had suggested that the same logic that of India not playing Pakistan in Toronto should be extended to the Olympics too.

The event managers of the Sahara Cup, IMG, have been informed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that the Union Government has rejected the application to play Pakistan in the Sahara Cup in Toronto.

Confirming the notification, Ravi Krishnan, chief of IMG's India operations told PTI in New Delhi on Friday "We confirm that we have received notification from the BCCI that their application to the Government to send a team to play against Pakistan in Sahara Cup tournament in Toronto from September 9-17 has been rejected."

Krishnan said that as of now, IMG is evaluating the options available but added no decision had been taken as yet to organise the series like they did last year, when both India and Pakistan played three matches each against West Indies.

South African state prosecutor Shamila Batohi and her assistant will visit India shortly to discuss with the police and the CBI on the match-fixing issue. In Durban, the Commission's spokesperson said Batohi will speak to the Indian police probing the scandal, regarding the taped recordings of conversations between sacked South African skipper Hansie Cronje and bookmakers.

The spokesman added that the possibility of taped conversations being used in the Commission's inquiry cannot be ruled out. It is understood that an agreement has already been reached between the Indian and South African governments to facilitate Batohi's travel to India.

Former Indian paceman Abey Kuruvilla has been appointed as the chairman of the Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) under-16 and under-14 selection committee. Kuruvilla replaces Pradeep Kasliwal who resigned from the post early this week.

Kuruvilla who represented Mumbai retired from first-class cricket at the end of the domestic season early this year. Off spinner Ranjan Baindoor has also been inducted in the committee. This announcement was made by MCA joint secretary Pravin Barve.

Former Indian captain Ajit Wadekar continued to remain as the chairman of the Ranji Trophy and under-22 selection committee along with Milind Rege and Chandrakant Pandit. Dilip Sardesai has been replaced by Abdul Ismail after his four-year term came to an end.