No Pandya when new selection committee pick SA ODI squad: Ganguly

The new selection committee will pick the Indian squad for the three ODIs at home in March, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly said on Monday (January 27).

To replace the outgoing MSK Prasad (South Zone) and Gagan Khoda (Central Zone), Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Ajit Agarkar, Rajesh Chauhan, and Venkatesh Prasad are some of the key contenders for the position of the new chairman at helm.

“The Test squad for New Zealand has already been picked by the old committee and the new committee’s first meeting will be held before home ODI series against South Africa. The interviews for short-listed candidates will happen soon,” Ganguly said.

Also read: BCCI looks for new selectors to replace MSK Prasad, Gagan Khoda

The BCCI President also informed that while Madan Lal and Sulakshana Naik are the members of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), Gautam Gambhir is being replaced as he can not hold any position being a Member of Parliament.

“We have decided on Gautam’s replacement and the announcement will be made soon. Madan Lal and Sulakshana are there,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ganguly also informed that all-rounder Hardik Pandya has still not attained match fitness after his back surgery.

“He can’t play right now. It will take some time before he gets fit,” the BCCI president said.

Hardik had recently failed the fitness test in his bid to make a national come back.

His trainer S Rajnikant had claimed that Pandya can pass YoYo Test, it is understood that the Baroda all-rounder is nowhere close to attaining international match fitness.

Also read: BCCI set to appoint Madan Lal, Gautam Gambhir as CAC members

(With inputs from agencies)