Post-mortem by ex-captains

Two days after BCCI president Sharad Pawar vowed to take drastic action following India8217;s dismal showing in the World Cup...

Two days after BCCI president Sharad Pawar vowed to take drastic action following India8217;s dismal showing in the World Cup, the Indian cricket Board has decided to hand over the job of post-mortem to a select group of former Indian captains.

Come April 6-7, the BCCI top brass headed by Pawar will meet in Mumbai in what will be the first formal summit since Greg Chappell 038; Co8217;s ouster from the ongoing West Indies World Cup. And the most striking feature at the Working Committee meeting will be the Board8217;s intention to form a review committee of former captains, who will be asked to look into what went wrong for Team India.

Speaking to The Indian Express from Mumbai, Prof Ratnakar Shetty said: 8220;Two things will be taken up at the meeting. Firstly, the coach Chappell and the manager8217;s Sanjay Jagdale reports, which are to be submitted to the Board president, will be taken up for discussion. And then, the review committee consisting of former captains will be asked to analyse India8217;s performance in the World Cup and provide their opinion.8221;

Although the top BCCI official chose not to give out any names, it was learnt through reliable sources that the clutch of former captains to be part of the summit are likely to include Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri.

A source close to the BCCI administrative told this daily that special emphasis is going to be given to the tour report to be submitted by Jagdale. It was learnt that the former player-turned-selector has been specifically instructed by the BCCI dispensation to categorically outline each and every player8217;s 8220;contribution and commitment8221; in terms of 8220;percentages8221; and 8220;detailed accounts8221;.

The source disclosed that the tour manager, who is currently accompanying the team on its way back home, has been instructed to give detailed accounts of how 8220;participative8221; the players were, specially the seniors, during 8220;pre-match team meetings8221; and 8220;strategy sessions8221; during the World Cup. A part of Jagdale8217;s confidential report, to be initially submitted only to Pawar immediately after the team returns home, is expected to consist of a 8220;table of the names8221; of the players, with 8220;commitment and contribution percentages8221; next to their names. That apart, there will be the separate detailed account.

All in all, a stormy session is on the cards considering that Pawar is particularly keen on scrutinising the senior players8217; contribution towards the team during the entire Caribbean trip, both on and off the field. The summit will see the Board officials consulting the ex-players in their search for solutions.