The wise men of Indian cricket are in a spot of bother — not just about Sourav Ganguly but also about the number of probables for the Champions Trophy.
Selectors may choose 30 probables but the list may not have room for Dada.
MUMBAI: The wise men of Indian cricket are in a spot of bother — not just about Sourav Ganguly but also about the number of probables for the Champions Trophy. Till late on Tuesday, there was no consensus among the selectors on whether to pick 30 as allowed by the International Cricket Council, or 22 as proclaimed by a top BCCI official a few days ago. The bigger dilemma is Ganguly. The selection committee meeting in Bangalore this evening will, no doubt, be stormy.
Knowing the stand of coach Greg Chappell and chief selector Kiran More, it would not be a surprise if the former captain is left out.
The Chappell-More duo will, however, have to work overtime to silence other members of the committee who seem to favour Ganguly’s inclusion. But the bad news for Ganguly is that Ranjib Biswal, the East Zone representative and a known supporter, is out of the country and will not attend the meeting.
BCCI president Sharad Pawar left the ball in the selectors’ court. “It is up the selectors,” he said. Chappell appeared mellowed in his views on his nemesis. “The past is past,” he told a TV interviewer.
The debate will also address the issue of probable strength. Having endorsed a suggestion that 30 probables will constitute a crowd, the BCCI mandarins — and the coach and the selectors — are trying to wriggle out of their self-imposed straitjacket.
Late on Tuesday night, a source said the selectors would go for 30. Every other board (Australia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka) has announced a list containing as many names. “This being a season of injury, we should have more players to choose from,” the official said. “When there is an option of 30, why go for the less?”
The selectors should have little else to debate over.
Anil Kumble is certain to figure in the list as are a few India A performers: Gautam Gambhir, Piyush Chawla, TP Singh, Rohit Sharma and Badrinath. VVS Laxman should be in the list with Zaheer Khan. Two more wicketkeepers — Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Kartik — should feature as well. The Lanka-bound 15 pick themselves.
The fate of Laxmipathy Balaji and Murali Kartik, recovering from injury, will be known on Wednesday morning when the team physio submits his report. Board secretary Niranjan Shah said Ashish Nehra, who is playing in England, is also eligible for selection.
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