BCCI right in looking for new selectors: Raja Venkat

Raja Venkat

Former East Zone national selector Raja Venkat agrees with the BCCI's decision to invite applications for five posts to form the new selection committee.

The BCCI provided every indication that they were unhappy about the panel's performance and Venkat, a member of the selection committee which picked the 2011 World Cup-winning Indian team, felt the Chetan Sharma-led panel was not neutral in their decisions. "I'm not at all surprised about the BCCI's decision. Chetan and his colleagues did not do justice to their role; didn't provide any indication of a neutral mindset as far as selection went.

"In the recent past, the Krishnamachari Srikkanth-led selection committee was the best. The then president Shashank Manohar did not poke his nose at all as far as selection was concerned," opined Venkat. About the recent happenings, Venkat said, "Team India did not do well in non-bilateral series. The Virat Kohli affair could have easily been avoided and from what I gather, the selection committee did not come forward to solve issues.

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"In my opinion, Chetan did not come forward to solve problems and the other selectors were happy to be backstage. I am happy the BCCI got tough and that's a good message for the incoming selection committee. We should thank BCCI for this. "I gather Ajit Agarkar may become the next chairman of selectors. I am quite confident he will do a good job and hopefully he will have energetic colleagues."