Speculations rife after Vensarkar leaves city by night

Kolkata, Dec 2 (UNI) The tension between chairman of National Selectors Dilip Vensarkar and the BCCI top brass reached a flashpoint with the former air-dashing out of the city late last night after being closeted with Board President Sharad Pawar for over an hour.

The tension between the selectors were piling up over the last few weeks with the Board clamping a series of sanctions on the selectors that some felt bordered on the lines of insult.

Yesterday evening Vensarkar and Sharad pawar were closeted in a city hotel over over an hour following which the chairman of selectors decided to leave the city immediately.

Though he was not available for comment, sources in the BCCI said it could border on the lines of the former test cricketer hinting at even resigning if things went on in the current mode.

Things went for the worse after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked the five national selectors to strictly adhere to a seven-point guideline.

The guidelines stated among other things that the selectors should watch more domestic matches, particularly the Ranji (both Super and Plate League), and that they should decide the matches to be seen at the beginning of the season in consultation with Hony.

Secretary, BCCI.

The selectors shall have no association with the agents of players nor shall they participate in events organised by the player's agents or contribute articles etc. where such agents are involved. They shall also have no contact with organisations that have interest in the business of cricket in any form whatsoever.

The selectors shall not sit in the dressing room when a match is in progress, whether a ODI or Test.

Selectors are not required to witness overseas matches when the Indian team is on tour. The Board's constitution clearly defines that the selection committee ''when the Indian team is playing abroad'' will comprise the captain, vice-captain and coach, and that the selection meetings will be convened by the manager of the team.

The provisions contained in the Board constitution shall be strictly observed when the Indian team is on tour.

There shall be no press conference after a team is selected.

There will merely be a press release issued by the Hony. Secretary giving details of the composition of the team selected. The members of the selection committee should not speak to the press on selection matters.

The selectors shall not write any column for any newspaper nor shall they appear in the electronic media as an expert.

Only one selector should watch an International match played in India. This shall be decided by the chairman of selectors who will prepare the list and convey the same to the Hony. Secretary.

Vensarkar, who has an illustrious cricketing career behind him, did not take to these restrictions favourably and rightly so. But the current flashpoint seems have reached over the fixing of date for selection of the team for the final Test against Pakistan.

Previously it was fixed that the process would be a tele-conference on December 4 and then a second meeting on December 7 for the Australia tour. But now it was shifted to December 5 to Bangalore.

It seemed that the selectors were not aware of the move. Though none in the BCCI quarters were available for a comment, the national selectors themselves will be a hot topic for discussion, when India will try to script a historic win at the Eden Gardens.

UNI