Test skipper Anil Kumble’s feat of reaching 600 Test wickets will be acknowledged by the Board of Control for Cricket in India at a felicitation ceremony.
BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah says felicitation of only the ODI team doesn’t mean that the Test players’ contributions haven’t been noted
MUMBAI: : Test skipper Anil Kumble’s feat of reaching 600 Test wickets will be acknowledged by the Board of Control for Cricket in India at a felicitation ceremony to be held in Chennai on the eve (March 25) of the first Test against South Africa.“Members of the working committee of the BCCI, including president Sharad Pawar will be there at the function to felicitate Kumble. The South African and Indian teams will also be invited,” BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla told DNA. Incidentally, the Board’s working committee too is meeting in Chennai in the run-up to the Test. Kumble reached the milestone when he dismissed Andrew Symonds caught by Rahul Dravid during the third Test at Perth.
The BCCI also insisted that not inviting those who were part of the historic Test win at Perth, including Kumble, VVS Laxman, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and RP Singh among others, wasn’t a gaffe on their part. At Thursday’s felicitation ceremony organised by the Board in association with the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), the full team that won the CB Series and two members of the Under-19 team from Delhi — Virat Kohli and Pradeep Sangwan — were felicitated besides getting cash awards. However, the senior players, who played a big role in turning the tide in India’s favour in the Test series, were conspicuous by their absence.
Secretary Niranjan Shah, who is still in Australia, defended the Board’s decision. “There was no reason to invite them. We felicitated the squad that won the tri-series. I don’t see any reason why we should have called the Test players. They played well and we acknowledge their contribution but this was a function to welcome the one-day side that won the tri-series,” Shah said, while also adding that the BCCI was aware of the achievements of the Test team. “We will be felicitating Anil Kumble shortly. So there is no question of not honouring the Test squad members.”
Former president IS Bindra, who was present at the felicitation ceremony, added that while the Tests did have an impact on the ODIs that followed, the immediate aim was to give the one-day team a fine welcome. “Nothing should be read into it,” he said.
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