Lodha panel directs BCCI to let Test players select team for Irani Trophy

The Lodha panel has directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri to let the former Test cricketers select the team for Irani Cup. The prestigious match is played every year between the winner of the Ranji Trophy and a team comprising of players from Rest of India. The Supreme Court had recently given its verdict in favor of Lodha committee after the board had a tussle over the recommendations made by the panel.

The Lodha committee had suggested several reforms to be incorporated into the functioning of the BCCI. One of the most notable reforms made by the Lodha panel was to trim down the board of national selectors from 5 to a group of only 3 members. They specifically mentioned the eligibility criteria to be the national selector.

The very basic criteria as per the reforms was that only a person who has represented Team India in Test cricket can be a part of the selection panel. This meant that Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda are no longer eligible for their selectors’ post. Coming to the Irani Trophy, the team for Rest of India is always chosen on the last day of the Ranji Trophy finals. With just a day to go for the Ranji finals, the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri had written a letter to the Lodha Panel seeking a clarification on the same. He asked if the selection panel of five members (including Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjpe) should pick the squad or should the other three (excluding Paranjpe and Khoda) be the selectors.

With the Ranji finals underway, the Rahul Johri had written a letter to the Lodha Panel seeking a clarification on the same. He asked if the selection panel of five members (including Gagan Khoda and Jatin Paranjpe) should pick the squad or should the other three (excluding Paranjpe and Khoda) be the selectors.

He wrote, “We have to select the Rest of India team for the Irani Trophy and this is normally done on the last day of the Final of the Ranji Trophy match… However, please advise if we should call all 5 members or only three members with Test match experience as per the Hon’ble Supreme Court order.”

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The Lodha committee was stern and direct in their response as they mentioned that only players who have played Test cricket must be a part of the selection panel. Hence, Khoda and Paranjpe will be ineligible to pick the Rest of Indian team.

The Lodha committee Secretary Gopal Sankaranarayan replied, “… it would be appropriate for further selections to be made by a three member selection committee. You may therefore prune the selection committee to three selectors with Test experience.”