Saba Karim looks forward to 'big challenge'

Kolkata – Terming his new job as a selector from East Zone as a “big challenge”, former India stumper Saba Karim Thursday expressed happiness over his appointment and said he is looking forward to the new challenge.

“I am very happy, honoured at my appointment. I am glad that the board found me capable enough for the job. I hope that I am able to perform my duties as expected,” Karim told IANS.

“It surely is a big challenge for me and I hope I am able to discharge my duties to the best of my abilities. There will be lots of responsibility attached with the job and I am looking forward for it,” he said.

Karim, who has played 34 ODIs and a Test match, pipped Trinamool Congress-backed former all-rounder Arup Bhattacharya and former Test opener Devang Gandhi to the post.

He said players would be selected only on the basis of their performances and not because they belong to a certain state or zone.

“I am not a Bengal selector, I only represent the zone and players like always would be selected on merit. I will certainly have an open mind when it comes to selection decisions,” added Karim.

While former India batsman Sandeep Patil was Thursday appointed chairman of the national selection committee, the others appointed on the panel were Roger Binny (South), Vikram Rathore (North), Rajinder Singh Hans (Central) and Karim.