The Dilip Vengsarkar story did not end on Wednesday night when the chief selector said in Mumbai that he was going to Bangalore.
Colonel’s late arrival keeps rumour mills running
BANGALORE: The Dilip Vengsarkar story did not end on Wednesday night when the chief selector said in Mumbai that he was going to Bangalore.
It continued throughout on Thursday here till the selection committee chairman landed in the Garden City in the evening.
The official reason for his late arrival was a delay in his flight schedule but there was high drama and speculation over his absence. Vengsarkar was to reach the city by 12 noon.
The waiting media crew was taken aback seeing only Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Niranjan Shah come out of the airport in the afternoon. Vengsarkar was booked in the same flight.
Later it was informed to the media that the chairman had missed his flight. Many believed that he was avoiding travelling in the same flight with Board secretary against whom he had complained to the BCCI president.
There was also some speculation that Vengsarkar has had a rethink on coming to Bangalore.
Meanwhile, the selection committee meeting started in time at a five-star hotel here. The selectors congregated sharp at 3pm and went about their job normally.
Even skipper Anil Kumble, who was later unanimously retained captain for the Australia series, actively participated in the discussions.
Vengsarkar joined them at 5.30 pm, about two and half hours behind schedule. Said a member of the committee: “We went about our job. We had prepared the ground work. When chairman arrived it became easy. Most of the ‘preliminary work’ was completed.”
The meeting lasted for about an hour after Vengsarkar joined his colleagues. According to one selector, the coldness between Vengsarkar and Shah was evident but later they behaved normally. Both even exchanged views and yes, even shook hands.
Later, all the members of met again in selector Ranjib Biswal’s room informally. Here the atmosphere was more ‘relaxed.’
Meanwhile, the other selectors did not make any issue out of ‘not getting’ any international matches.
The committee decided that three of them will go back to see Ranji matches and return on December 12 for the final selection meeting for the Australia tour. Vengsarkar and Venkatapathy Raju will watch the Test here.
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