NEW DELHI: The three outgoing selectors — Devang Gandhi, Jatin Paranjape and Sarandeep Singh — are likely to stay at least till the jumbo India squad for the year-end tour of Australia is announced, primarily to ensure continuity.
Gandhi, Paranjape and Singh are completing their four-year term (three plus one) on September 30, but the BCCI is unlikely to interview the aspiring candidates anytime soon and will instead persist with the existing committee.
The PTI can confirm that the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC),
comprising Madan Lal (head), Rudra Pratap Singh and Sulakshana Naik, hasn’t yet received any intimation from the Board regarding the conduct of interviews for the three soon-to-be vacant posts.
“Yes, the CAC hasn’t been sent any intimation as of now. Obviously, the COVID-19 lockdown has put all plans in disarray and now, the focus is on IPL. Also there is no domestic cricket being held at the moment,” a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
There is a school of thought within the BCCI that at this point in time, with the IPL starting, it is better that the three outgoing panel members remain at least till the Indian squad for the Australia tour is announced.
The team will be announced between the second and third week of October.
“If you look, MSK Prasad and Gagan Khoda were replaced in March, 2020 and not September, 2019. There is absolutely no
harm if Devang, Jatin and Sarandeep help out Sunil and Harvinder for the Australia series and may be the England series. “They have covered domestic cricket extensively and they have a fair idea about bench strength,” the source added.
The Supreme Court hearing on the BCCI petition for cooling-off period waiver for president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah is another factor.
—PTI

Press Trust of India