Make Anil Kumble chairman of BCCI’s senior Selection committee: Sehwag

Aug 22, 2019

New Delhi: Former test opener Virender Sehwag on Wednesday said that he did not apply for the post of Indian Team’s coach because no body from the BCCI asked him to do so “In 2017, the BCCI secretary and (late) Dr MV Sridhar (GM Cricket Operations) asked me to apply. So, I applied. This time no one asked me, so I didn’t apply.”

Asked whether he will apply in 2021 for this post, he shot back “Who knows I may be the president of the BCCI that time”

He was of the view that former skipper Anil Kumble is ideal candidate for the role of chairman of selectors, , because of the legendary spinner ability to boost confidence of the players

“I think Anil Kumble could be the right candidate for the chairman of selectors post. He is someone who has interacted with Sachin (Tendulkar), Sourav (Ganguly) and Rahul (Dravid) as a player and with youngsters as a coach,” Sehwag told media persons during launch of a new app ‘The Selector’

“When I made a comeback (Australia series 2007-08), captain Kumble came to my room and said you will not be dropped for the next two series. That’s the kind of confidence a player needs,” said Sehwag.

He however added that he doesn’t think that Kumble will agree to do the job right now since the chairman gets Rs 1 crore annually. “BCCI needs to raise bar as far as pay is concerned. Then a lot of players will be interested,” .

Asked whether he will be interested in the Job (chief of selection committee), He said no because he doesn’t like too many restrictions.

Asked if he would also be interested in this post, Sehwag said that he doesn’t like too many restrictions.”I write columns, appear on TV and being selector will mean a lot of restrictions. I don’t know whether I would like so many restrictions,” .

Further elaborating, he said he finds it difficult to comprehend the conflict of interest rules. “I can understand that I can’t run an academy if I am a selector but if I am the national coach I don’t understand why I can’t run an academy. How can I influence a selection in the team,” he said.

Recently, the Cricket Advisory Committee met former cricketers to hear their side of the conflict of interest matter. The conflict of interest issue is preventing many top former cricketers from being involved in cricketing matters, Sehwag said. “If a (former) player does not work for cricket, who will?”

Sehwag expressed his happiness over lifting of life ban on former pacer Sreesanth’s “ I am very happy for him. He has to perform in domestic cricket and then get back in contention. When reminded that Pakistan pacer Mohammed Amir, who was banned for spot-fixing, was allowed to make a direct comeback to the national team after the ban, Sehwag replied, “Anything can happen in Pakistan, not in India!”

Talking about the ongoing debate about the neck guard. “Why do you have to expose your neck to the bowler when you have a bat in your hand and pads to protect you? In my whole career, I have never even used a chest guard,” he said

A member of NADA’s anti-doping appeals panel (ADAP), Sehwag said filling the whereabouts clause was a real problem that bothered the Indian cricketers.

“I have appeared for many dope tests. Even in domestic cricket when I was out of the team, during IPL. The problem with whereabouts is I can’t pinpoint where I will be at a specific hour of the day on a specific date. I may mention it initially and then I might have a change in plan,” .

India will kick off its Test Championship campaign on August 22, with the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua., Sehwag said, “In Test cricket, I don’t think we have a problem. Ajinkya Rahane is there. If we go with four bowlers, Rohit Sharma will play I think. But if there are five bowlers, then Sharma has to sit out.” There is a debate on whether Sharma—who was in red-hot form in the World Cup—would get a chance to resurrect his Test career.

Sehwag said the team captain and coach have to tell a player where he will bat, and that it is not for the player to decide. “As far as I know, a player is ready to play at any position,” he said.

He was of the view that in the World Cup, had Mahendra Singh Dhoni been sent ahead of Hardik Pandya, the result might have been different.

Dhoni came in at number 7 in the semifinal at Old Trafford, a move which saw the team coming under pressure because of the mounting required run rate. “Pandya can play fast if sent later… scoring at 7-8 runs per over. Dhoni would have been better batting higher as he had the experience and understanding of the situation,” Sehwag said.

About the event , On September 1, when Pollard XI faces off against Bravo XI in Port of Spain, this an unprecedented, revolutionary concept called The Selector App will make its grand debut. This unique app launched in New Delhi promises to change the very way the sport is viewed all over the globe.

Through the Selector App, ardent fans of cricket will now be empowered with the responsibility of having a say in the match. Just by downloading the app, avid lovers of the game will get a chance to be a part of a revolution called the Fan Decision System (FDS).

“This is a very, very unique app. Fans feel that there is no-one more knowledgeable than them when it comes to cricket. It is time to put that theory to the test. The Selector App can also help to make the game far more lively and exciting. This will surely take cricket watching and fan support to the next level that will set a benchmark for other sports to learn from,” said Sehwag.

When Pollard XI and Bravo XI, representing players from the Trinbago Knight Riders of the Caribbean Premier League, will lock horns for The Selector Fans Cup on September 1, it will start a new chapter in the history of the sport. For the very first time, the fans will be endowed with the ability to make decisions in the world’s first “Fan-tactic” cricket match. The squads will have 15 players each out of which fans will get the opportunity to select the playing eleven for their chosen team.

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