Vishwanath "shocked" by Kumble's Singer Cup blunder (13 Sep 1996)

Chairman of the Indian selection committee G R Vishwanath said he was shocked to see Indian vice captain Anil Kumble getting out through a reckless shot on the last ball of the Indian innings in the crucial league game against Australia during the

13-Sep-1996

12th September 1996

Vishwanath "shocked" by Kumble`s Singer Cup blunder

Rediffusion on the Net

"I was shocked," said Vishwanath, speaking to the media after the meeting of the selection committee to pick the sides for the upcoming Challenger Trophy to be played at Mohali, in Chandigarh, from September 28 to October 1. Interestingly, Anil Kumble has been dropped from the senior India side, and named as skipper of the India A side for this tournament.

Asked whether Vishwanath, as chairman of selectors, would recommend action against Kumble, as had been done earlier when the likes of Kapil Dev, Manoj Prabhakar and others were found guilty of cricketing indiscretion, Vishwanath replied, "Probably not. We cannot even talk about it. At best, the board may do something if it feels like."

Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Jagmohan Dalmiya, who was present at the press briefing, said that each member of the national side was duty bound to be aware of the rules of the game, which in any event were akin to those pertaining to the Wills World Cup.

"I spoke to captain Sachin Tendulkar and vice captain Anil Kumble after that game," said Dalmiya. "Kumble agreed it was a mistake, and expressed his regret. It was not that he was unaware of the rules, just that while at the wicket, in the heat of the moment, he forgot and went for the shot."

Asked whether manager Sandeep Patil would be retained in his post after the Sahara Cup and the Challenger Trophy, Dalmiya said the question would be discussed at the Board`s annual general meeting scheduled for Mohali on September 25 and 26.

Vishwanath, whose own term as chairman of selectors ends on September 30, said his four years in office had been very enjoyable. "Playing for the country, and selecting a team for the country, are two totally different things. But both are challenging," said Vishwanath. "I have in course of my tenure tried to provide a sense of continuity for the players. If you take somebody in the team, you have to give him a chance to perform, to show his ability."

Vishwanath said emphatically that during his tenure, he had never faced pressure from any of the board officials while selecting the team.

The five-man selection committee announced the teams for the Challenger Trophy, an annual event to be played between the national side and select teams drawn from past players and promising newcomers.

The India A side will be led by Anil Kumble, while W V Raman will lead an India B side. In last year`s edition of the tournament, India seniors had taken on India A in a limited overs series. From this year on, an India B has been introduced in order to provide more players with a chance to demonstrate their talents and challenge the established players for a place in the side.

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