BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke (left) and chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil arrive to pick up the squad for the New Zealand Test series. (Photo: Debasish Dey)
BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke (left) and chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil arrive to pick up the squad for the New Zealand Test series. (Photo: Debasish Dey)
The five-member selection committee headed by Sandeep Patil ended their tenure with the team selection for the upcoming home Test series against New Zealand here on Monday. The 60-year-old former India player felt that he ended his tenure on a happy note.
“We have taken some bold and tough decisions looking at the future of Indian cricket. We are happy at the end of our term that the team is doing well in all three formats and I wish the next committee all the best. The only sad thing about being a selector is that you end up losing some of your friends,” said Patil, who was appointed the chairman of selectors in September 2012.
Saba Karim, Vikram Rathour, Gagan Khoda and M.S.K. Prasad complete the outgoing selection panel.
Patil, who had tried his luck by applying for the post of the India coach earlier, may indeed be happy to step aside given the difficult times the Indian board has been facing in following the Supreme Court appointed-Lodha Committee recommendations, whose full implementation is still awaited. The panel has also recommended limiting the senior team selection committee to three former players.
“Also, a big thank you to the BCCI for providing us the opportunity. The board has taken some great decisions during my time. We are happy with the roadmap the BCCI has drawn with Rahul Dravid taking over as coach of the juniors and Anil Kumble the seniors,” Patil said.
“We have a bigger pool of players. On the tour of the West Indies, we forwarded other names to the BCCI. We had detailed chats with captain (Virat), coach also with MS (Dhoni) how to go forward. We have a good bench strength,” he added.
The former Mumbai dasher chose to play down the controversies that erupted during his tenure. Patil evaded the question on whether Sachin Tendulkar was told in advance to call it a day before the hurriedly arranged three-Test series against the West Indies in 2013.
“There are some matters between the selectors and the BCCI, which should remain confidential and cannot be revealed,” he said.
He also claimed that there was “no outside interference” in selection matters under him.
“In our four-year term, not a single BCCI official of any zone approached the selection committee for any recommendation,” he pointed out. With Patil on his way out, it means the new selection committee’s first job will be to announce India’s ODI squad against New Zealand. “We want to give everyone a chance to apply for the selectors’ post rather than choose someone on our own and that’s why we have called for applications (for interview),” BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke said.
