'Decision against Ganguly unanimous, irreversible'

The BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said, "Selection is selection. If anybody interferes in the selection of players, there is no end to it."

Despite the mounting pressure, BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah on Friday said the decision of the National Selection Committee to drop Sourav Ganguly from the Indian squad for the Ahmedabad Test against Sri Lanka was "unanimous" and thus "irreversible."

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Mr Shah, also convenor of the committee, said that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) would not like to interfere in the matter of selection of the Indian squad.

"BCCI President Sharad Pawar has already clarified that selection of players is the sole discretion of the selection committee," he added.

On the agitation by Ganguly's supporters and their demand for his recalling in the Indian squad, the BCCI Secretary said, "Selection is selection. If anybody interferes in the selection of players, there is no end to it."

Describing as "unnecessary" the protests and demonstrations being held in Kolkata in support of Ganguly and against coach Greg Chappell and chief selector Kiran More, Mr Shah said this sort of agitation was not new in Indian cricket.

Moreover, Mr Shah said, it was the job of the selection committee to pick up the best team without showing any fear or favour.

Meanwhile, a local daily today quoted Kiran More to have said that "decision about Ganguly was taken unanimously at the selection committee meeting and...There was no pressure whatsoever from any of the board members on the committee."

More also reportedly ruled out the possibility of any move on the part of the committee to recall Ganguly in the Indian team for the Ahmedabad Test.