INDIA: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is facing a race against time to appoint a new chairman of selectors for the senior men’s Indian cricket team before the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 kicks off in October, and former opener, Virender Sehwag is in a leading position to take the helm. The position has been vacant for over six months since Chetan Sharma resigned following a sting operation.
According to BCCI’s constitution, the chairman of selectors must be from the North Zone, and former India opener Virender Sehwag is among the leading contenders for the role.
However, a recent report by a news agency suggests that the primary hurdle to Sehwag’s appointment is the remuneration that BCCI is currently offering.
The chairman of the senior selection panel earns Rs 1 crore annually, while the other members receive Rs 90 lakh per year. This disparity in pay has deterred Sehwag from considering the position, as he believes the package needs to reflect his stature and experience.
Without a good remuneration package, prominent former cricketers often pursue alternative avenues such as broadcasting, IPL team associations, running academies, writing columns, and engaging in sponsored work.
These activities are more financially rewarding than the BCCI’s annual package. BCCI official, speaking anonymously, acknowledged that Sehwag’s stature makes him the ideal candidate from the North Zone.
However, the official expressed scepticism about Sehwag’s willingness to apply for the role given the current pay structure.
The official also highlighted that during the Committee of Administrators (CoA) tenure, they asked Sehwag to apply for the head coach’s position, which Anil Kumble ultimately filled.
The official suggested that Sehwag would only consider the chairman of selectors position if BCCI offered an attractive pay package.
While other North Zone stalwarts such as Gautam Gambhir, Yuvraj Singh, and Harbhajan Singh exist, they still need to fulfil the retirement criteria of five years since their last international game unless BCCI relaxes the requirement.
If the BCCI fails to secure a big-name candidate from the North Zone, alternatives such as former stumper Ajay Ratra and cricket commentator Vivek Razdan could be considered.
Ratra was among the candidates interviewed by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) during the reappointment of Chetan Sharma.
Razdan, currently on vacation in the US, expressed his interest in the position but emphasized that he believes candidates should only apply when specifically asked to do so.
The BCCI faces the challenge of attracting prominent former players to take administrative roles by offering competitive remuneration.
Providing a more lucrative package for the chairman of selectors could address conflicts of interest issues and entice renowned individuals to join the selection committee.
With the clock ticking, the BCCI must act swiftly to fill the crucial position of chairman of selectors to ensure the smooth functioning of the Indian cricket team ahead of the highly anticipated ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 on home soil.
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