ImageSource:PTIChooserSarandeepSinghwithViratKohliandformerchiefselectorMSKPrasad
Thethreeexceedingchooses–DevangGandhi,JatinParanjapeandSarandeepSingh–arepotentialtodelayatleasttillthegargantuanIndiateamfortheyear-endspellofAustraliaisannounced,primarilytoinsurepersistence.
Gandhi,ParanjapeandSingharecompletingtheirfour-year-term(threeplusone)onSeptember30,buttheBCCIisunlikelytointerviewtheaspiringcandidatesanytimesoonandwillinsteadpersistwiththeexistingcommittee.
ThePTIcanconfirmthattheCricketAdvisoryCommittee(CAC),comprisingMadanLal(head),RudraPratapSinghandSulakshanaNaik,hasn’tyetreceivedanyintimationfromtheBoardregardingtheconductofinterviewsforthethreesoon-to-bevacantposts.
“Yes,theCAChasn’tbeensentanyintimationasofnow.Obviously,theCOVID-19lockdownhasputallplansindisarrayandnow,thefocusisonIPL.Alsothereisnodomesticcricketbeingheldatthemoment,”aseniorBCCIofficialtoldPTIonconditionsofanonymity.
ThereisaschoolofthoughtwithintheBCCIthatatthispointintime,withtheIPLstarting,itisbetterthatthethreeoutgoingpanelmembersremainatleasttilltheIndiansquadfortheAustraliatourisannounced.
TheteamwillannouncedbetweenthesecondandthirdweekofOctober.
“Ifyoulook,MSKPrasadandGaganKhodawerereplacedinMarch,2020andnotSeptember,2019.ThereisabsolutelynoharmifDevang,JatinandSarandeephelpoutSunilandHarvinderforAustraliaseriesandmaybetheEnglandseries.
“Theyhavecovereddomesticcricketextensivelyandtheyhaveafairideaaboutbenchstrength,”thesourceadded.
TheSupremeCourthearingontheBCCIpetitionforcooling-offperiodwaiverforpresidentSouravGangulyandsecretaryJayShahisanotherfactor.
TheannouncementofnewselectorsconventionallyhappensduringtheAGMastheselectionpanelisasub-committeeoftheBCCI.
23-25memberplayingsquadforAustraliatour
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Keepingthehealthsafetyconcernsandsecurityinmind,theBCCIislikelytosendanextendedplayingsquadtoAustraliawhosestrengthwillbeanythingbetween23to25.
“Itisonlylogicalthatatleast23to25playersarecarriedjustlikePakistanandWestIndiesdidinEngland.
“ThereisnoneedtocallnetbowlersfromoutsideandiftheplayersfromIndiaAsquadalsogoes,itwouldhelpusinhavingaproperfour-dayfirst-classmatchsimulationinbio-bubble,”aBCCIofficial,privytothedevelopment,toldPTI.
Thereisapossibilitythatthesupportstaff,ledbyheadcoachRaviShastri,aswellastheplayerswhowon’tbepartofIPLplay-offs,willreachAustraliadirectlybytheendofOctoberorthefirstweekofNovember,withtheothersjoiningthebubbleafterfinishingtheirIPLengagements.
