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Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman in BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee

On the role of the committee, the BCCI said in a statement: "Areas of immediate focus will be to provide guidance to our national team as we set out to enhance our performance on overseas engagements, provide direction to improve our talent pathway and take steps to strengthen domestic cricket to better prepare our players to handle the rigours of International Cricket."

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(L-R) Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar will guide the Indian team on various aspects
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Indian batting greats and members of the Fab Four that held India's middle-order together for many years are together again. Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman have accepted the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) invitation to join its newly-constituted Cricket Advisory Committee on Monday.

The three will guide the board and the national team on "various progressive steps" and enable Indian cricket to be "better prepared for the challenges of the future".

On the role of the committee, the BCCI said in a statement: "Areas of immediate focus will be to provide guidance to our national team as we set out to enhance our performance on overseas engagements, provide direction to improve our talent pathway and take steps to strengthen domestic cricket to better prepare our players to handle the rigours of International Cricket."

BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said he was confident about the trio's ability to take Indian cricket to new heights. "The coming generations are bound to benefit from the guidance that will be provided by these luminaries and will go a long way in strengthening our existing system," Dalmiya said.

BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur was thankful to the trio for accepting the role. He said: "Their participation augurs well for the future of the game in our country and the noble intention to 'give back to the game', is commendable."

The trio's wealth of knowledge can only help Indian cricket do well. It is learnt that the Indian cricketers can seek technical advice from the trio and the Board wants batsmen to specifically speak to Tendulkar before any tough international assignment. Ganguly might well be consulted for preparing a blueprint for success of the team overseas with Laxman working on the bench-strength and the new talent coming in through the system.
Thakur said the BCCI has "three of four areas" in which the former players' involvement will be sought.

The move was also welcomed by IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla. "This was decided in the previous working committee and it has been implemented now," he said.

Panel likely to meet before Bang tour
The new panel is to meet tentatively on June 4 of 5 with Dalmiya and Thakur before the Indian team departs for Bangladesh on June 7. It is likely that Dalmiya and Thakur would seek the trio's opinion on the appointment of support staff for the national team. It will also be clear whether anyone among the three will be travelling to Bangladesh with the team, or it will entirely be an Indian support staff for the upcoming tour. Ganguly, who is also the secretary of Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), is in Kolkata, and Laxman will also be in the city for CAB's Vision 2020 project.

Meanwhile, Ganguly said in Kolkata that he was still not clear about his role in the advisory committee He said he's happy to be clubbed with Tendulkar and Laxman in the panel. "I don't even know what is the role of the advisory committee. (But) I am happy to work with Sachin and Laxman," Ganguly told reporters.

Former India cricketers hailed the BCCI's decision. Legendary spinner EAS Prasanna called it a "good idea" and also urged the panel to work its way to unearth talented spin bowlers who will be serving the country for long time. "They have a huge responsibility at hand. I am a keen follower of Indian cricket and what I find is a tremendous shortage of effective spin bowlers in the country. Our team can't do well if the bowling attack doesn't have good spinners. I expect the 'Big Three" to look into this aspect," Prasanna said.

Former India stumper Syed Kirmani said: "It's a move in the right direction."

—With PTI inputs

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