Sandeep Patil is cricket selection panel chairman

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday sprang a surprise by naming Sandeep Patil as the chairman of selection committee, ending speculations about the successor to Krishnamachari Srikkanth.

Other members of the panel are Roger Binny (South), Vikram Rathore (North), Saba Karim (East) and Rajinder Singh Hans (Central). Patil had to survive a close race against the other contender from West Zone – Abey Kuruvilla – before sealing his berth in the panel as the chief selector for a maximum of four years.

As debate over the new selection panel chief gained momentum, many had expected Mohinder Amarnath to occupy the hot seat. But it is learnt that many of the North Zone representatives opposed Amarnath’s candidature in the wake of him shifting base to Mumbai and as such, the BCCI was forced to think of other options. The former India all-rounder was one year into his job as a senior selection committee member and was eligible to be re-appointed. There was a brief talk of Binny taking over the hot seat, but as the AGM started, it became clear that Binny was a unanimous choice to become the selector from South Zone rather than the chairman of selectors.

N Srinivasan, the BCCI president, explained the omission of Amarnath without touching any specific area. “The term of the selectors is for a maximum of four years but they have to be elected annually. One cannot go into the reasons (for not reappointing Amarnath). It’s not a subject for public debate,” Srinivasan said. “But the fact is the BCCI wanted, if possible, a new-look selection committee and that’s what we have.”

Srinivasan further said Patil was very much within their radar, downplaying the surprise factor. “The process has been going on for quite some time and not just today morning. It’s only that the final list was published today. There has been extensive consultations among Board members for some time. The office bearers are in touch with all the constituents. There are only 30 members in the Board,” Srinivasan said.

There also have been talks about Amarnath falling out with the BCCI because of his outspoken ways.