Post News Network
Kolkata, August 7: One position, four contenders. That is how the situation can be described as the race to nominate the representative from East Zone to the BCCI senior selection committee can be described. With Saba Karim’s tenure ending in September, the names doing the rounds to fill the vacant slot are Debashis Mohanty, Shiv Sundar Das, Deep Dasgupta and Devang Gandhi.
The credentials of the former Orissa cricketers are much more impressive than their counterparts from Bengal. Shiv has played more Tests (23) than the combined total of Deep or Devang. Similarly, Debu, as Debashis is popularly known has played the maximum number of ODIs (45) among all in the fray. But then in matters of the board, credentials do rarely matter. What matters is one’s close proximity to those in power.
Had it been the N Srinivasan era, one could have safely predicted that either of Shiv or Debashis would have made it to the senior panel. But not so now, with BCCI president Jagmnohan Dalmiya and former India captain Sourav Ganguly having a final say of things. But then if the OCA officials, including secretary Asirbad Behera, pursue the matter whole-heartedly then the scenario can change drastically. After all, international experience should be the main criteria for getting inducted into the senior selection committee.
Both Deep and Devang have kept themselves in the limelight by doing various commercial stints on TV as well as the media. Something, which Shiv and Debashis hasn’t done in the recent past. The Orissa formers should also realise that self-management does play an important role in shaping up careers after active playing days. It is high time they promote their credentials because public memory is very short-lived. The more they do so, the better for Orissa cricketers.
Orissa cricketers have not got the recognition they deserve. A Shiv or a Debu in the senior selection panel can certainly open up a lot of doors for cricketers of the state.