Selectors not rewarded for U-19 World Cup success 

What’s the story?

The selectors of the Indian U-19 team that won the world cup recently, haven’t been rewarded for doing their job. The BCCI ,under the supervision of the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators(CoA), decided to give out pay-outs to all the members of the support staff who were part of the U-19 world cup winning team.

The Background

As everyone is celebrating the stupendous success of the Indian U-19 team, the people responsible for them aren’t too happy.

The three-member junior selection committee headed by former Indian pacer Venkatesh Prasad weren’t handed out any pay-outs or rewards as promised by the BCCI. This has got directly to do with the non-inclusion of Rahul Chahar in the squad

The details

Amitabh Choudhary, who is convenor of selectors and is from Jharkhand wanted Anukul Roy, a left-arm spinner instead of Rahul Chahar in the U-19 squad. Interestingly, head coach Rahul Dravid and head of the junior selection committee Venkatesh Prasad wanted Rahul Chahar in the squad.

This lead to a heated discussion between Venkatesh Prasad and Amitabh Choudhary as Rahul Chahar was the preferred choice to tour New Zealand but Choudhary used his muscle power within the BCCI in order to accommodate a player from his state.

The BCCI rewarded all the support-staff involved with the U-19 team in New Zealand, but hasn’t rewarded the three-member junior selection committee as a result of the heated argument which ensued because of Chahar not being picked.

What’s next?

It is still not sure whether Venkatesh Prasad and his team will get what they deserve. As their intentions were right, they wanted the best possible team to play for India in the U-19 World Cup. With him having a heated argument with the convenor of selectors, things may not work out in their favour anytime soon.

Interestingly, the player over which this issue has come out in the open- the Rajasthan leg-spinner Rahul Chahar isn’t complaining. As in the IPL auctions held recently, there was a heated bidding which took place and he ended up going to Mumbai Indians for a fantastic price of Rs 1.90 crores.

It has to be seen if there is a mediation which can happen, maybe the U-19 coach Rahul Dravid should intervene and make sure that the selection committee gets their due. Dragging this issue further just doesn’t look good, especially when the team has won the World Cup and has achieved something which everyone is proud of.

Author’s take

It is very sad to see power and inside politics take precedence over common sense. The Venkatesh Prasad-led junior selection committee had their interests in the right place. They wanted Rahul Chahar to play in the team.

But Choudhary being the convenor of selectors and more importantly being from Jharkhand wanted to get one of his state player Anukul Roy into the squad and he succeeded. The anger of Venkatesh Prasad and his team is justified.

It’s up to them to pick the best players based on skill and current form to represent the country to play for the U-19 World Cup. And their backing of Rahul Chahar is justified by the huge amount Mumbai Indians dished out at the auctions to acquire his services.

Hopefully, common sense prevails and there would be an amicable solution found in order to end this dispute.