On Sunday, Delhi's wise men met, sans coach and captain/vice-captain, to pick the Ranji squad for the first two games of the season.
Interestingly, while they have picked a squad of 15, they have opted for only six bowlers. The rest will be makeshift. Two wicket-keepers make the grade (though only one game is away).
They have also ignored the team management's request for four seamers. Captain Virender Sehwag is in Nagpur but vice-captain Ajay Jadeja had asked for four seamers and three spinners.
Contacted at home and asked why he did not attend the meeting, Jadeja said he didn't see the point. "I don't have a vote. The selectors had asked me about the team I wanted and I asked for four seamers because I believe a match is won because of bowlers."
Sources say selectors took batsman Rajat Bhatia as a fourth seamer. Bhatia, who did very well with the bat, had five wickets in six matches last year.
The player who lost out to the various compromises by the selection committee is NS Negi. He came into prominence during Delhi's Ranji semi-final against Tamil Nadu in 2002-2003.