Why Pragyan Ojha's elevation was the natural choice for continuity
While Wasim Jaffer brings serious pedigree, the timing of his application may have gone against him
Sometimes, continuity can matter more than credentials. The BCCI's decision to appoint Pragyan Ojha as chairman of the senior men's selection committee, rather than bring in someone new like Wasim Jaffer, is a case in point.
For all his vaunted qualifications and distinguished credentials, Jaffer would have been an odd man out on a committee that has been running Indian cricket for quite some time now - and impressively so.
Having played more Tests (31) than any other member of the committee, the 48-year-old Jaffer would have been the automatic choice for chairman, bringing with him new ideas, fresh thinking and a different direction. But the current selection committee, having worked in good coordination with the team management for some time now, needed continuity rather than a fresh direction, particularly in a World Cup year.
In that sense, Jaffer’s decision to apply for a place on the selection committee may have been wrongly timed. The perception is that the man who holds the records for most runs (12,038) and most hundreds (40) in Ranji Trophy history, has scored two double-centuries in Test cricket and brings vast coaching experience, would have been an ideal candidate for a newly constituted committee rather than one that has been functioning for some time.
Besides, the chairman of the selection committee is expected to have a say in choosing the team of selectors. In the past, once a chairman was identified, he would be asked whom he wanted on his panel. Jaffer would perhaps be better off picking his own team of selectors rather than inheriting one. Surely, a chairman would not want a situation in which the other four or majority of the committee is not in sync with his ideas.
It is also a surprise that Jaffer chose to apply for the job without a nudge. Any experienced hand in Indian cricket would confide, if not openly admit, that a candidate would have been given an indication of his chances well before an application was made. In most cases, the candidate would have been told to apply for the role long before the advertisement appeared. There have been instances of candidates being sounded out four or five months in advance and told to be ready for the job.
In a sense, the selection committee needed a team player rather than a leader, and Ramesh Powar, a perfect team man, who played two Tests and 31 ODIs and has held several important coaching roles, including head coach of the India women’s team, Mumbai and Gujarat, as well as bowling coach at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, fits the bill.
