Sundaram appointment raises stink

The Green Park Stadium in Kanpur is not hosting a Test match between India and New Zealand this season, and that’s due to the adverse report about the ground conditions and the pitch submitted by the BCCI’s Ground and Pitch Committee Chairman Venkat Sundaram.

On Tuesday, Sundaram was named chairman of the UP Ranji Trophy selection committee, and that has given rise to speculation that he is being rewarded for his report on Green Park stadium.

Sources confirmed that the UPCA wasn’t interested in holding a Test match in Kanpur and they alleged that Sundaram played along not only by giving an adverse report but also by creating a ‘tussle’ between the UPCA and the State Government over the issue of Green Park’s lease.

Interestingly, it was UPCA itself, which had re-laid the new pitches under the guidance of BCCI’s Ground and Pitch Committee member Anand Shukla, who had given a positive report, just a few days before Sundaram’s report.

Sundaram, who as coach guided UP into the Ranji Trophy final in 1999, has now replaced former national selector Anand Shukla.

Objections were raised over the nomination of Sundaram, who has never played for Uttar Pradesh. “It’s highly objectionable that an outsider is going to run the show in UP,” said a senior member of the UPCA executive told HT on condition of anonymity.

“His (Sundaram’s) nomination also violates the BCCI norm which says that selection committee members, including the chairman, should be from the same State, and he must have played at least 35 Ranji Trophy matches.

“We have a number of former Ranji players, who have played more than 40 matches and one of then should have been selected,” the member said, and added: “Now outsiders are going to have a cosy time.”