Lodha panel wants ex-Test players to select Irani Team

Justice (Retd.) R.M Lodha-led Committee has for all future endeavors called on Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri to reduce their selection committee to three selectors with Test match experience.

The Lodha panel's move came in reply to a query from the BCCI CEO.

Johri, in his letter to the Lodha Committee, wrote, "We have to select the Rest of India team for the Irani Trophy and this is normally done on the last day of the Final of the Ranji Trophy match. However, please advise if we should call all 5 members or only three members with Test match experience as per the Hon'ble Supreme Court order."

Gopal Sankaranarayan, the secretary of the Lodha Committee, said, "It would be appropriate for further selections to be made by a three member selection committee. You may therefore prune the selection committee to three selectors with Test experience.

The Lodha panel's recommendation makes it clear that Jatin Paranjpe and Gagan Khoda, both of whom have not played Test cricket, will be ineligible to pick the Rest of India team.

The Irani Trophy is played between the Ranji Trophy champions and the Rest of India.

The development came in the wake of some of the ineligible and disqualified office-bearers in BCCI and in the state associations trying to create impediments in the conduct of the matches.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the three member committee-- former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha, former Justices Ashok Bhan and RV Raveendran--in the national capital on Wednesday.

The Supreme Court's modified January 3 order said those office-bearers who have completed a cumulative period of nine years in the BCCI or any state associations would no longer be eligible to hold the office.

Meanwhile, the Lodha committee has also decided not to intervene in matters related to the Hyderabad Cricket Association and Rajasthan Cricket Association matters as they are still sub-judice. However, both associations would not be allowed to hold elections until they adopt the new constitution as per the recommendations.