Multiple former selectors confirm Sourav Ganguly was part of selection meetings

Sourav Ganguly’s tenure as BCCI captain has coincided with multiple instances of allegations that the former India skipper sits in selection committee meetings and unconstitutionally influences decision-making.

The BCCI constitution gives no allowance for the board president to sit in selection committee meetings, with the Supreme Court of India approved rule book clearly saying, “The President is shorn of his say in selections”. The only other person allowed to sit in selection meetings is the board secretary – in this case, Jay Shah – but only as a convenor.

Ganguly would, of course, brush aside such an allegation. But now, as many as three former selectors have accused him of imposing his presence in team selection meetings and exercising his influence illegally.

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Sourav Ganguly faces fresh allegations in case related to influencing selection.

Sourav Ganguly accused of influencing selection calls by multiple selectors

Speaking to The Indian Express, three past and present selection committee members confirmed that Sourav Ganguly has indeed been sitting in their meetings and playing his part in decision-making.

Anonymously, two selectors raised the issue of propriety in the Indian Express report, saying Ganguly would log in for virtual selection meetings and because his stature within the board is such, “no one could object”. One of them said they felt “bullied” by his presence.

“It made many committee members uncomfortable and guarded in expressing their opinion,” the selector was quoted as saying with the condition of anonymity. One BCCI functionary went as far as to say that Ganguly has been a regular feature of selection committee meetings since the start of his presidentship in October 2019.

In the last few months, the Indian selection panel led by chairman Chetan Sharma has made two critical decisions in sacking Virat Kohli from the ODI captaincy and appointing Rohit Sharma as the new white-ball captain. Kohli’s removal became controversial, especially when he and Ganguly offered contrasting backdrops to what happened before his call to relinquish the T20I post ahead of the T20 World Cup in UAE and the communication around the ODI leadership.

At a time when the combined experience of India’s selection committee members pales in comparison to that of Ganguly’s playing days, the Kohli controversy hasn’t at all helped the allegations of the president breaching the board’s constitution and influencing selections.

The allegation was given birth to via a BCCI post dating October 24, 2019 when Ganguly, the then captain Kohli and his deputy Rohit were present in a picture alongside the selection committee members.

All smiles at the Senior Selection Committee meeting earlier this afternoon as the teams for the forthcoming T20I & Test series against Bangladesh were announced #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/BxA1S6Hc0Z

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 24, 2019

Sourav Ganguly, however, denied that claim, calling it “baseless” in an interview with PTI. “I want to make it clear that the picture wasn’t from a selection committee meeting,” he said. “I don’t think I need to answer anybody, anything (on this) and dignify any of these baseless accusations.”

“I am the president of the BCCI and I do the job of what the president of the BCCI should be doing. (I have played) 424 international matches for India. Not a bad idea at times to remind people about it, isn’t it?”

In last few weeks, Ganguly’s presence and alleged influence in selection matters came to light again, with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha revealing he was given an assurance of his future in the team by the BCCI president himself after his fifty in Kanpur against New Zealand last November.