India vs England: Team Selection Held Up In Logistical Issues After Supreme Court Ruling
The selection process for the Indian teams for the ODI and T20I series against England began after the Board of Control for Cricket in India CEO, Rahul Johri, was allowed to oversee and convene the meeting. The five selectors were also allowed to attend this meeting. However the next team selection would feature only three selectors.
Highlights
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BCCI selection meet held up due to logistical reasons
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All five selectors to be part of the selection meet
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India face England in three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals
The selection of the One-day International and T20 International teams to take on England was postponed by almost three hours on Friday in Mumbai due to logistical reasons generated by the Supreme Court ruling, which made most Board of Control for Cricket in India officials ineligible.
With the president and secretary having both been removed, no senior officials are available to head the table. The selection committee meetings are normally convened by the secretary.
The team selection meeting will start at 3pm on Friday with all five selectors allowed to select the team. The rule of three selectors as recommended by the Justice Lodha panel will be applied from the next selection meet.
The confusion started when former joint secretary Amitabh Choudhary asked CEO Rahul Johri as to why he has not been intimated about the meeting to pick the team for the limited-overs series against England as the BCCI constitution states that only he can convene the meeting.
The Lodha committee secretary Gopal Shankarnarayan in a clearly worded e-mail informed Johri that former joint secretary Amitabh Choudhary "stands disqualified" in the wake of SC order on January 2 and 3 and can't convene the selection meeting as secretary Ajay Shirke has also been sacked by apex court.
The e-mail sent by Shankarnarayan to Johri states: "The Committee is in receipt of your email. It is clarified that Mr. Amitabh Choudhary stands disqualified and is no longer the joint secretary of the BCCI or an office bearer of the BCCI or a State Association by virtue of the orders of the Supreme Court dated 2.1.2017 and 3.1.2017.
"As a result, he has no authority to interfere with the BCCI and it's functioning or with the directions of this Committee. Please proceed with the Selection Committee Meeting as scheduled," the email further states.
After a delay of one hour from the scheduled time, BCCI CEO Rahul Johri sent an e-mail to Shankarnarayan, intimating him about an e-mail from Amitabh Choudhary and seeking directive about the scheduled selection meeting.
"I have received an email from Mr. Amitabh Choudhary, the Joint Secretary of BCCI requesting that the said meetings be postponed till evening so that he can convene and attend the same.
"We have received differing legal advice insofar as whether a person who has completed 9 years as an office bearer of a State Association would be disqualified from being an office bearer of the BCCI in terms of the order dated 2nd January 2017 read with the order dated 3rd January 2017 and have been advised to seek a clarification from the Hon'ble Supreme Court."
Johri had informed the panel secretary that Choudhary is yet to complete nine years as an office-bearer in BCCI.
"Although Mr. Amitabh Choudhary has completed 9 years as an office bearer of a State Association, he has not completed 9 years as an office bearer of BCCI."
The team selection meeting started at 3pm on Friday with all five selectors allowed to select the team. The rule of three selectors as recommended by the Justice Lodha panel will be applied from the next selection meet.
(With PTI Inputs)