If the BCCI wants a player of stature as chief selector, then pay as much as head coach gets: Harbhajan Singh

“A man with stature, one that has played the game quite often, will solve a lot of issues at the selector level. But why wouldn’t they take up the opportunity? I’ll give the example of Virender Sehwag. If you ask Virender Sehwag to become the chief selector, then the salary of that post needs to be analysed. I don’t know how much the chief selector in India earns, but if Sehwag is in commentary or in other businesses around cricket, then it’s likely he is earning more money. If you want Sehwag, a player with stature, for the chief selector’s job, then spending money has to be key. If you don’t spend money, then you will have to choose selectors from players who may have only played a year and might not be that big a name. If a man like Rahul Dravid is made the coach, then the chief selector must have the same stature as well – jiski awaaz mein dum ho, jiske wajood mein dum ho (whose voice and stature carry weight).

The chief selector of the senior men’s team is paid Rs 1 crore per annum and the other members of the selection panel Rs 90 lakhs, while head coach Rahul Dravid is reportedly paid over Rs 7 crore.

The current selection committee for the senior men’s team is without a chairman after former fast bowler Chetan Sharma was at the centre of a sting operation and subsequently resigned.

When asked if he would be open to being chief selector if offered the post, Harbhajan said that it depended on pay parity with the national coach.

“Let’s see. If things shape up moving forward, and coach and selector are equally paid, then why not? The job of the coach is to stay with the team and plan around the team. But team selection is also an equally important job. You have to pick and select the best players and if you don’t select players that are needed by the coach or captain, then the chief selector’s position doesn’t have value.”