AMRIT MATHUR
While the IPL plays out in 60 matches across India, the MSK Prasad-led national selection committee gives the tournament a total miss. Instead, the country’s selectors follow India’s premier domestic tournament and the most competitive cricket league in the world on television over dinner like the rest of us.
The IPL snub is bizarre considering our normally high threshold of accepting the unusual. Selectors travel to all domestic matches, including the T20 Mushtaq Ali tournament, and accompany A-sides.
So why not watch India’s young talent to judge their potential, technique and temperament in a high pressure ‘live’ situation? Only a vague explanation is available that this has been the standard practice since IPL began.
Giving IPL a miss is not the only odd thing about Indian selection system. The Lodha Committee decided the BCCI needed three selectors not five, challenging logic on two counts.
First, the present arrangement was working fine, why mess with it? India has 28 first-class sides, almost 1000 players so five selectors are not too many. Australia with six first-class teams has four selectors. Secondly, shrinking the panel is flawed on principle itself. The Lodha panel categorically said cricket matters are best left to cricketers yet the learned judges (certainly no cricket experts) decided to support this hugely technical call on selection.
The BCCI has made important changes to its selection process. Earlier, selectors were appointed by the BCCI working committee. Last season these posts were advertised, with an eligibility crithe terion of minimum 50 first-class games. After applications were shortlisted and candidates interviewed, Sarandeep Singh, Debang Gandhi and Jatin Paranjpe made the cut.
Establishing a transparent process is a step forward but BCCI rules still give the president a veto over the Indian team. It’s odd that qualified selectors pick the team but theoretically the president still has the final say.
Like the BCCI, the DDCA also decided to clean up selection issues. It too advertised the posts after incorporating the Lodha Committee guidelines, including conflict of interest and eligibility. In fact, the DDCA had stiffer eligibility criteria compared to the BCCI because representing India and playing 20 first-class games was a must. A state selector therefore was more qualified than a national selector.
Delhi overlooked off-spinner Sarandeep Singh, one of the applicants for the ~6 lakh per annum job. It was a blessing; He made it to the national selection panel which gave him ~60 lakh as annual salary.
Selection is a thankless job. It was whispered the MSK Prasadled national panel was ‘lightweight’. Yet these very selectors made inspired calls and India are the top Test team in the world, boosted by quality talent on the bench.