Chetan Sharma's fate hangs in the balance as BCCI may rejig National Selection Committee

National Selection Committee chairman Chetan Sharma's fate hangs in the balance as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) could soon be rejigging the senior panel after the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia. It is an open secret that Chetan and his panel's interpretation and consistency in selection have been sub-standard in recent times. Unless India serves very well, it might be curtains for India's first hat-trick man in the ODI World Cup.

"A lot will depend on how India fares at T20 World Cup. There aren't too many people who are very happy with Chetan. But, he will remain until BCCI selects the new Cricket Advisory Committee [CAC]," a senior BCCI official was quoted as saying. While it will be a nervous wait for Chetan, East Zone's Debasish Mohanty, in a few months, will have to make way for someone else, as he will be completing an incremental four years in the junior and senior selection panel.

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"The rule that was applicable with Abbey Kuruvilla will also apply to Debu Mohanty. The COA inducted Debu into the junior panel in early 2019. He had served two years till 2021 before being upgraded to the senior panel after Devang Gandhi completed his tenure," a senior BCCI official informed PTI.

Mohanty will finish his four years in a few months, so he will have to move on. The question is whether he will be relieved of his duties before or after his four years are complete. However, there aren't too many eligible Test cricketers in the East who could be considered for the role. A few names fit the bill: Former Odisha opener Shiv Sunder Das and Deep Dasgupta of Bengal.

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There is news that Ranadeb Bose, a junior national selector, could be in the fray. But he hasn't played an official game for India. The former ODI players Laxmi Ratan Shukla of Bengal and Sanjay Raul of Odisha are eligible. Subroto Banerjee, coach of current India pacer Umesh Yadav, could also be hopeful.

Similarly, after Kuruvilla moved into functional work of the BCCI since he had finished four years [including three years in the junior panel], the West Zone selection chair has stayed blank, which will be required to be filled up. Last time, Ajit Agarkar had the best and most adorned CV among all applicants, but disapproval from his state unit, Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), became a limitation. The only person who, despite non-performance, might persist is Karnataka man and South Zone prospect Sunil Joshi.

(With inputs from PTI)