BCCI takes measures to eliminate the ‘communication gap’ with team management, players, selectors
The Indian Cricket Council (BCCI) has taken action following an alleged “communication gap” between the team management, selectors and the team building and future planning board itself.
TOI understands that BCCI top brass has got down to talking to players and selectors in preparation for a two-year “blueprint” to resolve such issues.
The development comes in the wake of India’s loss in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand in June and captain Virat Kohli comments on the need to prepare for a “transition”, particularly in the Test format.
One common problem that has been identified is that the lack of clarity in building a team for a big tournament. There have been multiple instances when players have complained of a “lack of communication” from either the team management or the selection committee over the past three years.
As far as the communication is concerned, the board has opened a channel directly with the players and team management to avoid any confusion.
Things got frosty again following Shubman Gill’s injury after the WTC final, which led to the team management in England asking for two openers as replacement. BCCI and selectors had first decided against sending any replacements but eventually Prithvi Shaw and Suryakumar Yadav were sent as covers. The duo is still in quarantine and will only be available from the third Test onwards.
The BCCI top brass has been working on life beyond the T20 World Cup in Oct Nov. Chief selector Chetan Sharma too has been having rounds of meetings with BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. According to sources, the meetings were based more on preparing the blueprint. The present selection committee’s performance will be up for review after they complete a year in December.
“There were issues pertaining to communication and messages getting lost in translation. So the board top brass is looking to create a system so that the team management and players can have their concerns heard by the top management without much delay,” a top BCCI official said.
