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BCCI to study suggestion for three-member selection panel

A special general body meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India is to consider the recommendation made by the rules committee that a three-member selection committee was better than the existing one of five members, BCCI president Raj Singh Dungarpur said.

He told reporters that the rules committee headed by him had recommended a three-member selection committee, but it can come into force only after making an amendment in the BCCI rules, a change possible only through a special annual general body meeting.

The regular annual general body meeting, to be held on September 22 and 23, will not consider this issue, he said.

He admitted there had been lot of criticism of the existing selectors, who were allegedly under pressure by their respective zones while selecting the national team.

Dungarpur said that if the recommendations came into effect, the BCCI would have a panel of scouts to assist the three selectors spot talent from first class matches during the domestic cricket season. A similar system was being adopted in England and Australia too, he said.

Asked about Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi's suggestion that the best team be sent to Kuala Lampur for the Commonwealth Games, he said the BCCI would pick two Indian teams -- one for the Commonwealth Games and the other for the Sahara Cup.

Asked why Bob Simpson from Australia has been picked to coach the Indian team for the next world cup when players like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev were available, Dungarpur said Simpson had the experience of three world cups behind him. Also, Gavaskar and Kapil Dev had never come forward to help prepare the team, he said, admitting though that no offer had been made to them. But he knew both of them had no time, he said.

The BCCI president was full of praise for Simpson and said the coaching camp currently in progress at Madras ''wonderful''. He was also appreciative of coach Anshuman Gaekwad and skipper Mohammed Azharuddin. He said he had never heard of Indian players going to the gym as they were now.

India would be a strong squad in the World Cup. The present pace attack consisting of Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad and Ajit Agarkar was the best ever, he said, adding that Saurav Ganguly could be a match-winning bowler in English conditions. He said he had spoken to Ganguly of what would be expected from him during the World Cup.

He said efforts were being made to have the third and final camp of the Indian team in England prior to the World Cup. Though the hosts have allowed each country to reach there only a week before the cup, the BCCI would request them for a 15-day camp. During that time India could play three warm up matches against county sides, he said.