Milind Rege returns as chief selector for Mumbai cricket team
Former Mumbai captain, Milind Rege, is reportedly set to return as the Mumbai senior selection committee chairman after previously being asked to vacated the post in 2017. The decision was taken at the meeting of the MCA’s Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) which was held on Wednesday.
70-year-old Milind Rege was let go by the Mumbai Cricket Association back in 2017 despite enabling Mumbai to reach the final of the 2017-18 Ranji season after having won the domestic tournament a year earlier. However, recent reports in TOI have indicated that Rege will return as chief selector of the MCA.
"They've recommended a 100% increase in the remuneration of the selectors of all age group teams," said a source in the MCA. The senior team selectors, who were earlier getting Rs 1.5 lakhs for a season, would now gets Rs 3 lakhs, with the chairman receiving Rs 3.5 lakhs.
"The chairman will get more since he'll also be responsible for assigning his colleagues in the panel with the task of watching important/local matches. There was a lot of controversy over the previous selection committee, being accused of not watching local matches, and we don't want a repeat of that episode," an inside source told TOI.
Former India skipper and former India selection committee chairman, Dilip Vengsarkar, also decided to increase the pay scale of the selectors. Apart from Rege, Sanjay Patil, Sridhar Mandle and Guru Gupte have also been appointed to the selection committee. First item on the agenda for the newly elected committee will be to watch the last round of the Madhav Mantri under-23 Trophy which includes teams from the eight under-23 MCA summer camps.
Patil, who left the CIC on Wednesday after attending the meeting, will also head the under-19 selection committee. Similarly, Mandar Phadke, who is the chairman of the under-16 panel, will also be on the under-19 selection committee.
"The idea is to ensure that if a selector happens to watch a talented boy at the junior level, then he would be able to push his case at the senior level. It enables better communication in the various age group selection panels," said an official.
