The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has already started to search the national selectors for the senior men’s cricket team. Some big names have shown interest in this role. The former Indian leg-spinner Laxman Sivaramakrishnan is one of them.
Among the present five-member national selection committee of the senior men’s cricket, two members’ terms are going to be the end soon. Selection committee chief MSK Prasad (South Zone) and Gagan Khoda (Central Zone) are these two members who are set to end their journey from this committee. Meanwhile, the other members of this committee, Sarandeep Singh (North Zone), Jatin Paranjpe (West Zone) and Devang Gandhi (East Zone) can continue their journey for another season.
Recently, on 18th January, the BCCI has invited for the applications of this role. The deadline to apply for the national selectors’ position is 24th January 2020. For the national selectors’ (senior men) post, the BCCI has set the below criteria.
i) Should have played seven Tests OR
30 first-class matches OR
10 ODIs and 20 first-class matches
ii) Should have retired from the game at least five years ago.
Some former Indian players are reportedly interested for this role. The 54-year-old Laxman Sivaramakrishnan is one of them. From 1983 to 1987, he played nine Tests and 16 ODIs for India where the leg-spinner took 26 and 15 wickets respectively.
After his cricket career, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan has involved in the commentary where he has achieved huge success. He has also played the spin bowling coach roles in the National Cricket Academy (NCA). He was also a part of the ICC’s Cricket Committee.
I feel that I can help in developing a pool of wrist spinners in the country: Laxman Sivaramakrishnan
As Sivaramakrishnan has played more than seven Tests, he also retired from the game before 2000. So, he is eligible for this role.
Sivaramakrishnan said according to PTI, “I have spoken to my family and have decided to apply for the national selector’s position. If BCCI gives me an opportunity, I would like to make a difference. I believe if I get four years, I would leave Indian cricket in a better space in terms of bench strength in all three departments especially spin bowling,”
“I have not only watched a lot of international cricket but also covered domestic cricket as a broadcaster for 15 years. I feel that I can help in developing a pool of wrist spinners in the country.”
According to the recent PTI report, the former Indian cricketers Rajesh Chauhan and Amay Khurasiya have also applied for this post. The off-spinner Chauhan played 21 Tests and 35 ODIs from 1993 to 1998. On the other hand, Khurasiya played 12 ODIs for India between 1999 and 2001.
The PTI report also added that former Indian cricketers Venkatesh Prasad, Sanjay Bangar could also apply for this post. Right-arm pacer Prasad played 33 Tests and 161 ODIs (from 1994 to 2001) and all-rounder Sanjay Bangar featured in 12 Tests and 15 ODIs for India (2001-2004).
While Prasad was the chairman of junior men’s selector for two-and-a-half-year, he can only play the role of the senior selector for one-and-a-half-year as the national selector can hold the post for maximum four years in total. In the meantime, Bangar was the batting coach of Indian national cricket team.
The BCCI is also searching the five members of national selectors (senior women) and two members of national selectors (junior men).