Indian news round-up

The Managing Director of ESPN-STAR Sports, Rik Dovey announced on Thursday that Former England captain Geoff Boycott has signed a three year exclusive contract with the Channel to be part of the two channels' special cricket programmes.

Dovey said ``Boycott has a unique understanding of the game of cricket and an unbeatable way of relating it to television viewers.'' Boycott who would be joining former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar and Harsha Bhogle, is slated to make his debut on Star Sports on the exclusive half-hour news programme `Sportsline' September 25 as a special guest of the presenter John Dykes.

In an effort to promote the programme Boycott would be spending time with Mumbai's young and budding cricketers at the Mumbai Cricket Association grounds on September 23. Boycott then will be part of ESPN's live coverage of the ICC Knockout Trophy from Nairobi.

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar and Pakistan's Imran Khan, along with a host of other sporting dignitaries are to be a part of the festivities organised ahead of Bangladesh's first Test against India scheduled to be played in Dhaka from November 10 to 14.

Agence France Presse (AFP) reported that apart from the two personalities, foreign sports reporters would also be invited to witness the Test and join the pre-match festivities slated to begin from November 5.

Quoting the organising sources, AFP said that former Bangladeshi cricketers will be invited and honoured as the country's sports ambassadors. He added they will also travel abroad in the interest of the game.

Snehasish Ganguly, elder brother of Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, has been appointed a member of the senior selection committee for the Bengal team this season. International umpire Subrata Porel who played in the Ranji Trophy for Services and Bengal for several years has also been inducted in the committee.

From last year's committee, India selector Ashok Malhotra, who was also the chairman of the state selection committee retained his post, along with former India player Pranab Roy.

Robin Mukherjee will be the chairman of the junior selection committee. The other members of the committee are Jolly Mukherjee, Indu Bhusan Roy and Mintu Das.