Impatient Indian selectors have picked 102 players in the last 6 months

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the central contracts for as many as 27 players. The new ‘A+’ grade was introduced and the players playing across all the formats were included in it. But questions are being raised over the method of picking the players. A total of 102 players across 13 teams have been picked for the various tournaments from June and September this year. If so many players are playing then what is the point of spreading so thin?

Moreover, it has been observed that the centrally contracted player doesn’t find a place in the national team and the non-contracted player is picked at the expense of him. The latest example is of Parthiv Patel who has been dropped for England Test series and the uncapped Rishabh Pant has been selected. The former was not even in the ‘A’ team which travelled to the United Kingdom recently.

MSK Prasad led selection panel has tried a lot of players over the last few months during different tournaments but haven’t stuck to them in the long run. This approach doesn’t give a fair idea to the players as well and are left unsure about their careers. The same happened with Manoj Tiwary who didn’t find his name in any of the India teams despite scoring the century in his last international game for India.

 No vision or established goal?

Until last year, there were a total of 28 domestic teams who competed for the glory (the number has now increased to 37 for the upcoming season). A total of 420 active players in the domestic circuit proves the Indian cricket is filled with the abundance of talent. According to the analysis of News 18, if one were to shortlist the top 10% active players, the BCCI should have 42 players readily available at any point in time. Approximately three 15-member squads should be available for selection.

Nowadays, ‘A’ team is supposed to shadow the senior team, with ready replacements available if Team India requires due to injuries. This puts 30 players out of 42 in the country ready to play at the highest level and if India ‘B’ is taken into consideration, the roster calls for no more than 45 players.

But the selection panel has tried a massive 102 players in a six-month span which proves that they have been selecting players only out of hope and there is no vision. They have been inconsistent in keeping faith on one player and it seems have rather been too impatient with the cricketers’ performances.

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