SC verdict on Lodha Panel reforms: Selector Gagan Khoda may have premature exit

New Delhi: The Supreme Court verdict on Justice RM Lodha committee’s landmark reforms for BCCI is all set to affect the senior national selection committee’s composition as selector Gagan Khoda will have to make an early exit. A major rejig in the selection committee could be on cards with current chairman Sandeep Patil along with Vikram Rathour and Saba Karim ending their four-year-tenure in September and the new selection committee is expected to be a three-member panel. [caption id=“attachment_2919526” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Gagan Khoda. AFP[/caption] The other two in the panel are Central Zone’s Gagan Khoda and South’s MSK Prasad, who were appointed in October 2015 and as per earlier rules would have continued till 2019. As per Lodha Committee recommendations, “Only former Players who have represented the Senior National Team in Test matches shall be eligible to be appointed to this committee, provided that they have retired from the game at least five years previously. The senior-most Test cap among the members of the Committee shall be appointed as the Chairperson.” As per the SC-appointed committee’s recommendation, Khoda gets stuck as he does not qualify having played only two ODIs back in 1998-99 and no Test matches. Prasad is on a slightly safer ground with six Tests and 17 ODIs to his credit. A source close to the Supreme Court-appointed panel said that as per directives, Khoda will have to eventually vacate his position as national selector but the BCCI probably will keep him for six months knowing that it is the stipulated time to set the house in order. “Since the constitution will change as per reforms suggested by the panel and verdict passed by the Apex Court, BCCI can take six months of time. So perhaps BCCI will try to keep the selectors in question (Khoda) till that time but eventually, they will need to follow the rule,” a source close to the panel told PTI on Wednesday. However, veteran politician Sharad Pawar has shown the way with a dignified exit from Mumbai CA respecting the SC verdict. “If he (Khoda) wants to quit voluntarily, it is most welcome,” said the source. However, according to sources in BCCI, as long as the house is not set in order, Khoda may continue as it will also mean getting a hefty remuneration for his duties. It has been learnt that both Khoda and Prasad are set to travel with the India ‘A’ team to Australia as BCCI has again brought back the policy of sending selectors on overseas tours.