The Hindu : Sport : `Selection process is different now'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 09, 2006

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`Selection process is different now'

S. Dinakar

Chennai: The selection process in the country is an evolving one. And there are changes in the manner the eleven is being picked these days.

Chairman of the National selection panel, Kiran More, who is in the city to watch the practice games involving the Indian team, revealed to The Hindu that the method adopted now to finalise the eleven was different from the ones in the past.

It is the selection panel chairman and the team-management who select the eleven for the home matches, and the four other selectors are not involved in the conclusive deliberations with the think tank ahead of the contest.

"I have discussions with my colleagues regarding the eleven, but in the end they entrust me with the responsibility of interacting with the team-management," he said.

Myth shattered

More's revelations shatter the myth about long, and heated arguments between the selectors and the team-management ahead of a match. "I think we have constantly tried for greater cohesion between the selectors and the side."

He added, "You see, we normally decide on the eleven the night before the game. The meeting involves the team-management and the chairman. We put forward our views and decide on the right options. This is only because the other selectors have complete faith in the chairman."

There have, however, been instances in the past when the inability of the selectors to reach a consensus had led to considerable delay in finalising the eleven. As late as in the morning of the India - Australia Test in Chennai in 2004, barely minutes before the toss, the selectors were not able to reach an agreement while choosing between two pacemen.

Unfair on cricketers

V.B. Chandrasekar, South Zone's representative in the selection panel remembered, "It was unfair on the cricketers concerned. There we were in the middle of the ground discussing endlessly. The cricketers have to be given time to prepare for the match mentally."

Subsequently, it was decided to authorise the chairman with the required powers. Said More. "You see when the team tours abroad, then the lone selector travelling with the team, takes over my role in the deliberations if I am not present. Everything boils down to trust."

The former India wicket-keeper batsman denied horse-trading in selection. "You see these are days when everybody watches television, everybody has an opinion and people react."

He had an opinion too on the question of a vote to either the captain or the coach. "I don't believe in this vote business. It's more about how you interact with them. The views of the captain and the coach are always respected. Rahul Dravid puts forward his points well, and he has vision. Greg Chappell is firm and straight."

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