In defiance of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha committee recommendations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today appointed former wicketkeeper-batsman MSK Prasad as the new chairman of five-member selection committee.
Prasad, who was a part of the previous panel as the south zone representative, replaced Sandeep Patil as Chairman of the selectors. Prasad (41), hailing from Andhra Pradesh, played six Tests and 17 ODIs in his brief international career.
Gagan Khoda, who has not played any Test cricket has been retained in the committee from the central zone. Devang Gandhi, Jatin Paranjpe and Sarandeep Singh were the new additions to the selection panel. Of the three, Paranjpe does not have Test experience and has only played ODIs.
Gandhi (45), who has four Tests and three ODIs to his credit, will be representing the east zone, while Paranjpe will be west zone's representative. Former off-spinner Sarandeep is the selector from north zone, replacing Vikram Rathour.
Paranjpe, a former left-handed batsman, has only played four ODIs. Sarandeep, on the other hand, has three Tests and five ODIs under his belt, making him compliant with the Lodha committee recommendations.
In overall analysis, the new selection committee has a combined international experience of 13 Tests and 31 ODIs.
The move is in complete defiance of the Lodha committee recommendations, which had called for a three-strong panel with all members having Test experience.
The new panel was decided at the BCCI's 87th Annual General Meeting here held in the backdrop of Lodha committee recommendations, which have not been accepted by the Board.
Former India seamer Venkatesh Prasad has been retained as chairman of the junior selection committee.
It was also decided that BCCI president Anurag Thakur will continue to be the Indian representative at International Cricket Council’s (ICC) powerful Board of Directors.
Meanwhile, Ajay Shirke was re-elected unopposed as the secretary of the cricketing body. No other nominations were received for the post at the AGM chaired by Thakur.
Shirke, also chief of the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA), became the secretary in July after Thakur was elevated to the president's post, vacated by Shashank Manohar who quit BCCI to become the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman
