The open fight between two members — Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji — of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) has surprised many in the cricket circles and former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar is the latest one. Vengsarkar lashed out at the CoA on the matter.
“The happenings in the BCCI are a concern to former cricketers like us. The appointment and sacking of the national teams’ coaches shows that the administration in the Board is in a complete mess, and so is Indian cricket right now. The way it has handled things, the CoA has become a laughing stock,” Dilip Vengsarkar was quoted as saying by The Times of India on Thursday.
The fight started after Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji exchanged e-mails highlighting the difference of opinion regarding the coach selection for the India women’s crick team. Diana Edulji was of the opinion to keep Ramesh Powar as the coach of the side till the conclusion of the New Zealand tour while Vinod Rai has a different opinion. Rai is pressing for the committee consisting of Kapil Dev, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shanta Rangaswamy to choose a new coach for the top job of the Indian women’s cricket team.
Expressing his bewilderment at the turn of events, the former national chief selector questioned the jurisdiction of the CoA. “I really don’t know what’s happening. Does it come under the CoA jurisdiction to appoint or sack coaches? I feel it’s wrong to sack a coach because the captain is saying something against the coach, and also incorrect to hire a coach because the skipper desires so. It should be totally an administrative decision. I can’t understand how the players come into the picture in this matter,” Vengsarkar said further.
The Vinod Rai-Diana Edulji committee has been sparring over various matters with the latest being the selection of coach for the women’s team after the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) refused to interview and pick a candidate for the women’s team as it did for the men’s team. The CAC comprises of former greats Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman.
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