Why is Chetan Sharma still selecting an Indian team after his panel’s tenure wasn’t extended due to unsatisfactory performances?

Why is Chetan Sharma’s team of selectors picking the future teams of India when they were sacked for their selections in the past? It’s a mystery that Indian cricket finds itself in. It intensifies further the development that Sharma has reportedly re-applied for the post. That a person whose tenure hasn’t been extended for his team’s non-performances in the past reapplies is a statement in itself.
On October 31 as Chetan Sharma sat down for a virtual press conference while announcing the squads for New Zealand and Bangladesh tours, one of the inevitable questions was with regards to his future as the chairman of the senior selection committee. Ever since India made an exit from the T20 World Cup in the semi-final stage, speculations have been rife about a shake up in the committee.
It seemed that was their last selection meeting. In fact, when questioned, he didn’t even have a definite answer and went about announcing four squads – for T20Is and ODIs against New Zealand and ODIs and Tests against Bangladesh.
A committee which was not good enough a month back, continues to keep track of domestic matches, well aware that the board will bin them once new selectors come over. (FILE)
And November 18 as the BCCI invited fresh applications to replace the selectors, it seemed as if the board had finally woken up regarding the inconsency in selection. With the 50-over World Cup less than a year away, there were few calls, especially bold decisions waiting to be taken. If there was a time for course correction, then this was it.
But little has changed since then. A new selection committee is yet to be named.
November 28 was the last day to submit applications and since then four weeks have gone during which time the BCCI has only found time to appoint a Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) comprising former cricketers Ashok Malhotra, Jatin Paranjape and Sulakshana Naik.
Never mind the fact the domestic season is on, and the position of west zone selector has been lying vacant since last February and the squad for the T20 World Cup was picked with a selector short. Like coaches, captain and players, the selectors too have a huge role to play in how a team shapes up and it is them who form the core, build a vision and pick the players to execute the plan.
As India have all but nine months to put together a team that can dream of winning the World Cup on home soil, the series against Sri Lanka beginning with the T20Is in Mumbai on January 3 was supposed to be a fresh start. Instead, after finding the Sharma’s panel not good enough, the BCCI has asked the same committee to fill-in for the time being and pick the T20I and ODI squads.
A committee which was not good enough a month back, continues to keep track of domestic matches, well aware that the board will bin them once new selectors come over. Of course, nobody is questioning the integrity of the selectors and the professionalism they bring in, but nowhere will an employee who is not good enough be told to take the lead for their next pet project – the 50-over World Cup. As another series comes and goes, the BCCI and the Indian team lose one more opportunity to course correct.
Like coaches, captain and players, the selectors too have a huge role to play in how a team shapes up and it is them who form the core, build a vision and pick the players to execute the plan. (FILE)
Make no make, this isn’t a team in an auto-pilot mode where everyone picks themselves. It is far from it. There are alarming concerns regarding the fitness of skipper Rohit Sharma and if so this the time to ask whether Hardik Pandya should be made white-ball captain.
And surprisingly, presumably in their last meeting – one can never be sure with the BCCI — Sharma & Co have made a huge call elevating Pandya as vice-captain for the ODIs.
After persing with Shikhar Dhawan all through the year and even making him a stand-in captain as recently as for the tour of New Zealand, the left-hander has been dropped from the ODI series. For a change, there is continuity as they have persed with Ishan Kishan apart from recalling Gill to the ODI squad.

And maintaining their consency with regards to making inconsent calls, Sanju Samson has been omitted from the ODI scheme of things. During the tour of New Zealand, incidentally Samson didn’t even get a chance to play in T20Is and only played the ODIs before being dropped for the Bangladesh tour. Now, he finds place only in the T20I squad.
While a team has been picked for the Sri Lanka series, questions are bound to be raised over the manner in which the BCCI has gone about the entire process. To discard Chetan Sharma & Co even before a CAC was formed was their first make, especially because it takes time to find the right candidates who don’t have any conflict of interest issue. And to do so during the middle of the domestic season doesn’t serve any purpose as even the fringe players wouldn’t know where they stand. And lastly, to make the same selectors pick the squad after finding them not good enough, questions the wisdom of those in charge.
Cricket is a game of thin margins. Leave alone wrong decisions, even delayed decisions can be a catalyst to a disaster.