Mumbai: Alleging irregularities in the selection process of the Ranji and under 23 squads, an official of a member club of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has called for a Special General Meeting to replace the two selection panels. Khodadad Yazdegardi, who is the vice president and cricket secretary of the Parsee Gymkhana, has called for the SGM of MCA on February 21.
The senior selection committee is led by former pacer Ajit Agarkar and also comprises former India spinner Nilesh Kulkarni.
The move comes after the Bombay High Court-appointed Ad-Hoc committee of the MCA, in a communication to Khodadad, had informed him that he could call for the SGM invoking rule 37 of the association.
“This is with reference to your letter dated January 28 informing us about your decision to call a special general meeting of the MCA as per rule number 37. “Please note that the Ad-Hoc Managing Committee cannot call for a SGM as informed to you vide our email-dated January 9. However, you may call a SGM as per rule 37 at a date, time and place fixed by you.
You will have to inform members as well,” the MCA had said in the communique, a copy of which is in possession of PTI. After MCA’s nod, Khodadad has sent a notice for the SGM to the members of the association, which bears signatures of 36 members, on Monday.
“Notice is hereby given that a SGM of the members of the MCA is called on Thursday 21st February 2019, at 6 PM at the Lounge, Wankhede Stadium to consider the following resolution: Resolved that the current Ranji and U23 selection committee be removed. Further resolved that new selection committee be appointed in their place”, the notice, a copy of which is with PTI, stated. The notice is signed by Khodadad who is the authorised representative of the Parsee Gymkhana. Khodadad clarified that he is calling the SGM on an individual basis.
Further the notice says, “The motion is moved because: the selectors never watched MCA Club matches. Selection for Madhav Mantri U-23 tournament, which was played in May 2018, was done by coaches appointed for the four teams, instead of selectors. Players who performed exceedingly well in 2017/18 season were neglected and not selected for 2018/19 probables list.
“In view of the several irregularities in selection of players, the above resolutions are proposed,” the notice stated. In the last Ranji season, 41-time champions Mumbai failed to advance to the quarter-finals after bowing out in the preliminary round, while the U23 teamwas also knocked out in the primary stage of the Col. C K Naidu trophy.
Last year, Khodadad had approached the then high-court led Committee of Administrators (CoA) comprising two-retired judges, urging them to call a SGM, but the CoA had refused to
give a go-ahead.