'Cooling' period to become national selector halved

In a bid to make more cricketers eligible for national selectors' job, the BCCI has decided to reduce the "cooling" period for retired cricketers from 10 years to five years. HT reports. In a nutshell

In a bid to make more cricketers eligible for national selectors' job, the BCCI has decided to reduce the "cooling" period for retired cricketers from 10 years to five years. The BCCI's Working Committee, headed by outgoing president Shashank Manohar, felt that the 10-year period was too long, said a source.

HT Image

The decision becomes significant as K Srikkanth-led senior selection committee is finishing its term this September. There were rumours doing the rounds that the selection committee, except for Yashpal Sharma who has been a selector for a maximum permissible term of four years, will get one-year extension. However, with India falling apart in England, the chances now look grim. The selection committee has come under the scanner and demand for replacing some members is gaining ground.

The BCCI, however, is yet not ready to reveal anything. "This will be decided in the AGM," said BCCI secretary N Srinivasan. The Annual General Meeting of the board will be held on September 19 and 20 in Mumbai," a BCCI release said.

The Working Committee also confirmed that the state associations' share from the television rights would be between Rs 23 crore to 27 crore.

Have more practice games for Oz: Kumble
PTI adds: Anil Kumble has asked the BCCI find a way to include two or three warm-up games in the run-up to the opening Test against Australia when India visit Down Under later this year.

There has been huge criticism of the schedule for the team's England series that, experts feel, led to disaster. Kumble made the suggestion about adding two more games to the one already scheduled ahead of the opening Boxing Day (Dec 26) Test at the working committee meeting.