The coming days can see an end to the never-ending debate over the process of selecting the national selectors as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly set to hand over the responsibility to the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC). The appointment of national selectors has always been marred by controversy and to avoid such situation; the board has put the onus on CAC to appoint the selectors through a process similar to the one used for selection of the last two head coaches.
The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA), in its last meeting held on October 27, suggested the apex court:
“the selectors should be appointed for two years and that the appointment of selectors and coach should be free from any political influence.”
The statement as mentioned above was posted on the board’s website.
“Accordingly, instead of directly appointing selectors, there should be as a provision whereby the general body appoints a professional committee comprising reputed former cricketers (like the cricket advisory committee), and this professional committee can, in turn, appoint selectors as well as the coach,” the website further added.
Meanwhile, the Vinod Rai-led panel has also decided that Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjpe, who were removed as national selectors in January this year will now be paid Rs around 45 lakhs despite not being in service as their contracts were of the one-year period. The former first-class cricketers were relieved of their duties since they did not meet the eligibility criteria according to which only former Test cricketers can be national selectors.
A source in the board, meanwhile, confirmed that the power of appointing the national selectors would be given to the CAC.
“After seeing how the selectors are appointed at times in the general body, we are of the opinion that the power to appoint the selectors should be handed completely to the CAC,” a BCCI source told The Times Group.
The CAC, comprising of India’s legendary trio- Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, was formed last year and they appointed former head coach Anil Kumble and current coach Ravi Shastri after interviewing several candidates.
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