The Hindu : Sport : Dravid retained captain, Shastri in as manager

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Sunday, Apr 08, 2007
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Dravid retained captain, Shastri in as manager

G. Viswanath

RIGHT, MAN: The BCCI has plumped for Ravi Shastri as the team's cricket manager for the tour of Bangladesh. — PHOTO: AP

Mumbai: The recommendations of the former captains were the basis around which the BCCI's Working Committee adopted major resolutions, including restrictions on personal endorsements as part of the players' contract, at its meeting here on Saturday.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, the BCCI Treasurer, N. Srinivasan, said that Rahul Dravid has been appointed captain for the tour of Bangladesh, Ireland and England. The committee also named Ravi Shastri as cricket manager, Venkatesh Prasad as the bowling coach and Robin Singh as the fielding coach for the Bangladesh tour.

"This has been done to avoid media speculation and to send a message that there is nothing to panic about. The decision on the continuation of Shastri, Prasad and Robin Singh will be taken after the Bangladesh tour. The BCCI has also decided to appoint an administrative and media manager for a two-year term before the Bangladesh tour,'' said Mr. Srinivasan.

Tele-conference

The appointments were done after a tele-conference between the national selectors present in Mumbai, Dilip Vengsarkar and Sanjay Jagdale, with their colleagues Venkatapathy Raju, Ranjib Biswal and Bhupinder Singh.

The BCCI has also advised the selection committee to select a young team for the Bangladesh series. When asked whether this would bring an end to the career of the seniors, Mr. Srinivasan explained that the former captains had recommended that a pool of 30 players be developed for international engagements and a cricketer should not play more than 80 days in a year.

It has also been decided to scrap the present system of zonal representation in the senior and junior selection committee, appoint selectors on a full-time basis based upon an eligibility criteria that would include the stature of the player and selection experience for a two-year term with a suitable remuneration. The BCCI will have to amend its constitution soon to change the composition of the selection committees.

Performance based

The Working Committee also resolved to do away with the existing gradation for retainership and approved a performance-based payment for the pool of 25 or 30 players. "But there would be uniform match fees for Tests and one-day internationals plus bonus earnings. We have not yet worked out the details," said Mr. Srinivasan.

Meanwhile, Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh are to be issued notices for breaching the BCCI's code of conduct. In Tendulkar's case he has been asked to explain for talking to the media recently on a sensitive issue related to former Indian coach Greg Chappell. Explanation will be sought from Yuvraj for a separate breach.

Mr. Srinivasan, however, was silent when asked to respond to the BCCI Vice-President Dayanand Narvekar's comments directed against some members of the Indian team after its loss to Sri Lanka in the World Cup.

Domestic circuit

In order to strengthen the domestic tournaments the BCCI has made it mandatory for the Test and ODI players to play in the Irani Cup, Duleep Trophy, Challenger Series and some Ranji Trophy matches. It has also reduced the teams in the Elite Group from 15 to 10 (from the 2008-09 season) and has directed all the associations to prepare fast and lively pitches.

It will also do away with the home and away rotation policy and allot venues for the Irani, Duleep, Deodhar, Ranji Trophy semifinals and finals and all one-day all-India knockout tournaments. The BCCI has also directed all its affiliated units to start their academies by April 2009. It will also arrange regular tours for the India under-19 and India `A' teams to Australia, England, South Africa and West Indies.

The BCCI has formed an Advisory Committee consisting of M.A.K. Pataudi, S. Venkatraghavan, Chandu Borde, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri and K. Srikkanth. BCCI President, Sharad Pawar, will head the committee that will include all the office-bearers.

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