Sachin, Sourav, VVS to be BCCI’s cricket advisors

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, June 1

Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman and have been roped in by the Indian cricket board (BCCI) to advise it on its major cricket-related discussions and decisions.

The Cricket Advisory Committee, a brainchild of BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and secretary Anurag Thakur, will advise the BCCI on “various progressive steps which are needed to be taken that will enable Indian Cricket to be better prepared for the challenges of the future”, according to a BCCI statement.

The Indian cricket team does not have a regular coach since the World Cup, as former coach Duncan Fletcher’s contract ended then. The BCCI statement does not mention any specifics, but the appointment of a new coach is the first major decision on which Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman should advise the BCCI.

The three were part of the Big Four of Indian batting in the 1990s and 2000s. The absence of the fourth, Rahul Dravid, from the committee is striking. After being elected to their current posts in March, Thakur and Dalmiya had talked about setting up an advisory committee. There were reports that Ganguly, Tendulkar and Dravid were the three players the BCCI had approached, and that Dravid had made himself unavailable for the role.

“I have just come to know about the committee, rest I don’t know. I don’t even know what is the role of the advisory committee... I am happy to work with Sachin and Laxman,” Ganguly said today.

There had been speculation that Ganguly would be appointed the coach, but his appointment in the committee means that he would not become the coach. In that case, Ravi Shastri, who had been appointed as the team director for six months until the World Cup, could continue in his post.

Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman have been part of different IPL team camps, and have had roles as experts or commentators in the media as well. They also have been generally available to advise India’s top players.

The Indian cricket team has been going through a period of transition, with MS Dhoni retiring from Test cricket. He was replaced by the volatile Virat Kohli, who has been in the middle of several controversies over the last six months and can do with a bit of mentoring by the likes of Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman.

The Indian team tours Bangladesh later this month for three One-day Internationals and one Test. If Shastri is not available for this tour, the team could travel with the three coaches who have been part of the support staff since last year — Sanjay Bangar, Bharat Arun and R Sridhar.

‘A good idea’

Several former players have welcomed the BCCI’s decision. Former off-spinner EAS Prasanna said it is a “good idea”. “The idea is good. They have a huge responsibility at hand,” he said. “I am a keen follower of Indian cricket and what I find is a tremendous shortage of effective spin bowlers in the country. Our team can’t do well if the bowling attack doesn’t have good spinners. I expect the ‘Big Three’ look into this aspect.”

Former India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani said “it is a move in the right direction”, and added that cricketers like himself are willing to offer their services to the sport. “Why do the veteran cricketers of my era like Mohinder Amarnath, who have taught and inspired these recently-retired cricketers, lie forgotten? That’s my only question,” Kirmani said.

With inputs from agencies