BCCI asks ECB to release final squad

By Our Sports Reporter

KOLKATA, OCT. 29. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has asked its English counterpart - the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) - to release the final squad by November 5. Stating this on behalf of the BCCI, the president Mr. Jagmohan Dalmiya said that he has specified the need to the ECB's director of cricket operations, Mr. John Carr, on Monday.

Mr. Dalmiya said that the ECB has repeatedly assured that the tour to India is on but what the English board has been unable to provide is the final list of the squad visiting the country.

The selection of the team is ECB's prerogative but the need to seek the final squad has been necessitated by logistic and administrative considerations which have to be taken care of before the visitors arrive, he said. The president said that a delay by a day or two can be accommodated but the BCCI cannot wait for long to have the final list of touring members.

The BCCI president added that the security of the visitors is in the hands of the Indian government and the tour has been okayed by both by the Home and External Affairs Ministries, which took into account all the prevalent ``security and political aspects''. In this regard, the BCCI has accepted the request of the ECB to have ``two or three officials visiting the country before the tour.'' Mr. Dalmiya will be meeting the delegation - comprising the ECB officials and representatives from the British High Commission in India - here on Thursday. This is to allow the visitors have an assessment of the situation and allay the ``unfounded'' fears back home, he said.

Referring to the letters - issued to the Indian coach, John Wright, and physio, Andrew Leipus - asking for reports on the national team's performance, the president said that both have sent in their replies. Mr. Dalmiya, without revealing the contents, said that continued ``slide'' in the team's performance is a big reason to worry.

And with the World Cup barely 30 months away, the issue needs to be addressed seriously, he said. The president added the matter would be taken up with the all the persons responsible for the team after the conclusion of the South African trip.

Aimed at giving thrust to the junior development programme, former Indian captain Dilip Vengsarkar has been appointed as the chairman of Talent Resource Development Officers (TRDO). Created to scout talents at the junior level, Vengsarkar has been appointed on a ``long term basis,'' revealed the president. Vengsarkar will also work as the consultant to the Indian junior team which will defend the Youth World Cup title at New Zealand in January next year.

Former Test cricketer Balwinder Singh Sandhu has been named the team coach while Arjun Rana will be the physical trainer, he said adding that the selectors are watching the junior events and 25 probables will be selected on December 4 following the completion of the C.K. Nayudu Trophy.

The probables will be put in a conditioning camp at Bangalore from December 8 to 26 and the final team will declared on the last day of the camp. The team will leave for New Zealand on January 1 or 2 to get acclimatised to the conditions before the start of the tournament on January 19, Mr. Dalmiya said. The president will also be hosting a meeting of the junior cricket committee in the city on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Replying to an advertisement issued by International Cricket Council seeking ``Manager Umpire'', the BCCI has recommended the name of the international umpire S.Venkataraghavan for the post, said Mr. Dalmiya.

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