MUMBAI: After waiting for the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) to promote him to a national selector’s job, former India wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia applied on his own after the BCCI decided to invite applications for the first time.
Mongia sent his application for the senior and junior selection committees. “I have applied for both, and am open to any opportunity,” Mongia told HT from Vadodara.
After retirement, Mongia served two terms each as a junior and senior selector with the BCA. “I wanted to become a selector after retirement. However, family issues prevented me from devoting time. Now everything is settled,” he said.
Mongia, who played 44 Tests and 140 ODIs, was not considered for selection after his name cropped up in the 2000 match-fixing scandal.
His last international appearance was the 2000-01 Test at Eden Gardens where Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman played monumental knocks to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against Australia.
Stranded on 99 catches in Tests, Mongia waited for a reason from the BCCI on his omission. He did not get an answer and announced his retirement in 2004.