Dilip Vengsarkar Is Trying To Create Some Controversy, Says N Srinivasan

What’s the story?

It’s not an easy job being a part of Team India’s selection panel.Differences often occur in between the selectors who hold the responsibility of sifting through the best potential and pick a handful of prospects who would actually get the opportunity to play in the team.

During the course of this process, some decisions tend to be controversial. Often this involves trusting a young upcoming talent over a relatively experienced individual which could lead to a lot of questions. Such steps may be likened or could lead to ouster straightaway.

Dilip Vengsarkar, who headed the selection panel in 2008, recently claimed that taking one such step, of that of selecting Virat Kohli over Subramanian Badrinath caused him to face a similar ouster.

Dilip Vengsarkar, in a recent interview, claimed that this bold step was not welcomed by the then BCCI president N Srinivasan which eventually led to him losing his job.

“I knew there was South’s Badrinath, who was playing for N. Srinivasan’s CSK. When Kohli was preferred over Badrinath, Srinivasan was not happy. He got fed up as his player was kept out and he questioned me as to how I didn’t pick Badri? I replied that I had gone to watch the Emerging Tour in Australia and found this boy Kohli exceptional.

“So I have picked him in the team and Srinivasan reasoned that Badrinath had scored 800 runs for Tamil Nadu. I told him he will get a chance and an angry Srinivasan asked “when he will get a chance, he is 29-years-old? I replied: ‘Whenever the time comes’.”

N Srinivasan hits back

Former BCCI president N Srinivasan was left unimpressed with these remarks and immediately dismissed the claims made by Vengsarkar. He termed the remarks as”completely false, motivated and without basis of facts.”

N Srinivasan has revealed that the reason behind Vengsarkar’s ouster was completely different. According to the TN strongman, the former chief selector failed to win an extension because of conflict of interest as he he chose to continue as vice-president of Mumbai Cricket Association until 2010, and again in 2014.

Concerns over these dual roles was raised at the BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM) in 2008 which eventually led to Vengsarkar losing his post.

“I find it unbecoming and highly unprofessional of a former selector to act in such a manner. It is a pity that Mr Dilip Vengsakar is trying to cast aspersions on me,” Srinivasan was quoted as saying in a press release issued by his company India Cements. “He is trying to create some controversy by suggesting I was behind his removal when I was treasurer of the BCCI. This is totally unwarranted and defies logic.”

Srinivasan further pointed out that the there was no difference between the BCCI members and Vengsarkar. The former BCCI president referred to his relationship with Dadar Union, the club with which Vengsarkar has deep connections,

“Dilip Vengsarkar was himself a beneficiary of the benefit scheme initiated by me,” Srinivasan said. “To my recollection, a large sum of money was given by India Cements Limited to Dadar Union Club for his its infrastructure at his request.”