No selector in SA?

India’s 50-day tour of South Africa will not see a selector on duty, a practice the BCCI has been adopting over the past year. When the team for the three-Test series that begins from December 15 is announced, it is unlikely that the Dilip Vengsarkar-led committee will have a point man accompanying the team.

BCCI chief administrative officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty revealed that according to the constitution, only the captain, vice-captain and the coach, with the manager as convenor, are part of the selection process.

He said that the policy of sending a selector abroad was put on hold for the time being. “I will not say that such a policy has been discontinued.”

Only if a selector is also designated manager that he can be part of the selection process. “A selector can be a special invitee to a selection meeting when the team is abroad, but he will not have a voice. His role is further reduced if he is not manager too,” Prof Shetty said. “Right now it is not clear what the selector’s role will be when he is on tour.”