India still in champs race
AFTER a Supreme Court-appointed committee warned India’s cricket board not to pull out of the ICC Champions Trophy, the board this week decided India would take part in the eightnation event from June 1.
The decision was taken at a Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) special general meeting.
“The BCCI unanimously decided that the Indian cricket team will participate in the coming ICC Champions Trophy. The All-India Senior Selection Meeting will pick the team,” said the BCCI.
India initially wanted to pull out of the 50-over ICC flagship tournament after the International Cricket Council (ICC) voted at a board meeting to drastically reduce the BCCI’s share of revenue.
BCCI officials then contemplated a pullout from the Champions Trophy in England and Wales.
The Indian board stands to receive $277 million (R3.7 billion) less revenue than the previous scheme over the next eight years under the sweeping changes approved by all ICC members except India.
However, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) asked the BCCI to announce a team for the coming event immediately despite the problems with the ICC.
The board unanimously authorised current joint secretary Amitabh Choudhary to negotiate with the ICC on behalf of the BCCI.
Negotiations would take place “in the best interests of the BCCI while keeping its legal options open”, said the BCCI. LATEST The BCCI yesterday announced the squad that would attempt to retain the ICC Champions Trophy.
Fit-again Rohit Sharma and Mohammed Shami were recalled to the 15-member Indian squad announced by BCCI selection committee chairman MSK Prasad.
The Virat Kohli-led squad has no surprises with off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also making it back to the team after his brief injury lay-off.
Rohit sustained a thigh injury during the one-day international (ODI) series against New Zealand in October last year, while Shami’s last appearance in ODIs was in the 2015 World Cup semi-finals.
Ashwin, who suffered a sports hernia, was also advised to take six to eight weeks of rehabilitation after a gruelling Test series against Australia .“The standby players will be issued visas and will practise at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru,” said Prasad.
The eight-team tournament in June will see defending champions India pooled with South Africa, Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Group B.
India will start their Champions Trophy campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 4.
Squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (WK), Yuvraj Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Hardik Pandya, Umesh Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Manish Pandey, Mohammed Shami, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Ajinkya Rahane.
Stand-bys: Rishabh Pant, Suresh Raina, Kuldeep Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Dinesh Karthik.