Amarnath out, Sandeep Patil elected as new chief selector
Mumbai: The Cricket Board of India on Thursday appointed former Test batsman Sandeep Patil as the chairman of senior selection committee while showing the exit door to Mohinder Amarnath, who was eligible to be reappointed.
The 56-year-old Patil’s appointment to the hot seat by replacing another dashing batsman K Srikkanth came as bolt from the blue, as his name was not even being talked about as a possible candidate prior to the Board’s 83rd Annual General Meeting, which finalised the panel here.
“The term of the selectors is for a maximum of four years but they have to be elected annually. It’s the decision of the BCCI. One cannot go into the reasons (for not reappointing Amarnath). It’s not a subject for public debate,” Srinivasan told a press conference after the AGM.
“But the fact is I think BCCI wanted, if possible, a new look selection committee and that’s what we have. The issue is not what is the credential of a X or Y. Basically it’s a one year term extended upto a maximum of four years.
According to sources, three units of North were against Amarnath’s re-appointment and his ejection was not unexpected.
But the major surprises were the inclusion of Patil instead of fellow-Mumbai player Abey Kuruvilla and Syed Saba Karim from East, when their names was not among the players being talked about, and to a lesser extent Hans, the former UP left arm spinner with a unique action that puzzled the batsmen.
Patil, a dashing batsman in his prime, played 29 Tests and 45 ODIs for India, scoring 1,588 and 1,005 runs in the respective formats.
Post-retirement, Patil became the India A coach before being at the helm of the senior team.
He later served as coach of the Kenyan national team as well.
Binny played for India from 1979 to 87. In his eight-year career, the all-rounder picked 47 wickets in 27 Tests and 77 wickets in 72 ODIS.
He was India’s highest wicket-taker during the 1983 World Cup. The 57-year-old played for Goa and Karnataka, in the domestic circuit.
BCCI’s previous selection panel comprised Srikkanth, Amarnath, Narendra Hirwani (Central Zone), Surendra Bhave (West Zone) and Raja Venkat (East Zone). Amarnath had replaced Yashpal Sharma last year.
The AGM also decided to raise the selectors’ annual remuneration from Rs 40 lakh to Rs 60 lakh, while for the junior selectors, it was doubled from Rs 20 lakh.
