Hours before the Mumbai cricket Association (MCA) ad-hoc committee was to discuss the fate of the senior selection panel, all four members of the selection committee have submitted their resignation on Friday.
The selectors — chairman Ajit Agarkar, Nilesh Kulkarni, Sunil More and Ravi Thakkar — emailed their resignation letters to the ad-hoc committee and MCA chief executive C.S. Naik. The resignations have brought an end to a controversial stint of the four-member panel a day after the conclusion of the senior domestic season.
In an unprecedented move, a group of members in an Special General Meeting (SGM) last month had passed a resolution to sack the selection panel. It was followed by the Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) setting the resolution aside and stressing that the commitment of the selection panel could not be questioned. The ad-hoc committee then sought legal opinion on the issue.
Perhaps the selectors got a hint of the issue set to be discussed and disappointed with the manner in which the episode has panned out, all four former cricketers in unison resigned as selectors.
During the last two seasons, Mumbai could only add one trophy to its cabinet, regaining the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this season after 12 years. In a bid to plan for the future, Agarkar and Co. over the last two seasons took some brave calls, omitting seasoned cricketers who were struggling to perform consistently on the field.
However, a section of MCA members didn’t take it in a good way and even accused the selectors of not watching enough local matches. It resulted in the resolution being moved. The five members of the ad-hoc committee too indirectly supposed the resolution by skipping the SGM and not registering their protest.
