By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi, Dec 17 (IANS): Around 16 candidates who have applied for the posts of selectors and support staff of various Delhi teams were interviewed on Thursday, but an upper age rule of 60 years for selectors became a bone of contention. This rule is not mentioned in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) constitution, though one of its articles does say that the association would follow the Indian cricket board's constitution.

The constitution of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is based on the Lodha Committee's recommendations made to the Supreme Court, which has approved the current constitution and wants all of BCCI's affiliates to follow the same. The BCCI constitution limits administrators' age (70 years) and tenure (nine years at the BCCI and nine at its affiliates). But the 60-year limit for selectors is neither mentioned in the BCCI constitution, nor in the DDCA's.

The DDCA Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) chairman Atul Wassan, did not agree per se with the rule that applies only to selectors and not coaches, who have to do a more strenuous job of physically participating in practice with players.

"I have been informed by the DDCA management that we have to follow the DDCA articles of association and the criteria guideline of the BCCI. Hence it's our job as CAC to do the same. However I feel that the five-year rule (that combines both junior and senior selection panel terms) and also including the pro bono years (when they were not paid) is harsh," Wassan, a former Test speedster, told IANS.

"I am sure the intention of the Lodha Committee recommendations was not to keep the paid jobs of selectors out of reach of the deserving players who have played for a state for a number of years and having served since late nineties as selectors for a sandwich and a tea, but now they cannot contribute, or have been kept out of net due to this harsh interpretation of the Lodha reforms," he said.

Wassan disclosed that the DDCA management, headed by president Rohan Jaitley, was agreeable to review the 60-year rule for selectors.

"I have made my recommendation and point of view on the matter of 60-years limit and on the five years criteria to the DDCA management and CAC have been promised that our suggestion will be reviewed in good time," he said.

"The upper limit of selectors' age is also harsh as a coach -- and coaching involves a lot of strenuous activity - can do the job beyond 60 years. Then, why not a selector?" he wondered.

The interviews of the prospective candidates for the various posts started on Thursday. A total of 130 players, physiotherapists, and trainers have applied. Approximately 40 candidates have been shortlisted, and the three-member CAC, which also includes former India speedsters Robin Singh junior and Parvinder Awana, interviewed them on Thursday.

Among those who were yet to be called for interviews, mainly for selectors' job, were Kirti Azad, a former India Test player and a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team.

Soon after that, former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi, in his capacity as president of the National Capital Territory Cricket Association, on Thursday lodged a complaint with DDCA Ombudsman Badar Durrez Ahmed on the 'unfair implementation' of rules that led to Azad being not invited for an interview.

Azad, who has served as a Delhi selector for two seasons, concurrently as a national selector in 2002-03 and 2003-04, was widely considered to be a front-runner for the post of chairman of the senior selection committee after the list of people who have applied became known. Although the 61-year-old former Delhi Ranji Trophy-winning captain hasn't been interviewed so far, Wassan saying that the DDCA management was not averse to reviewing the age rule raises hope for not just Azad but others as well.

It is learnt that that interviews for the senior selectors' post is not limited to only one day; more people can be interviewed in the days to come.

Wassan, who has also served as DDCA chairman of senior selection committee, said while the DDCA management said it would review the rule, for the moment the CAC would have to go by the rulebook.

"We have to abide by this BCCI guideline and we can only give our point of view to the DDCA management to see if we can accommodate a few more deserving candidates," he said.

Wassan reposed faith in Jaitley and said that he shared his vision for Delhi cricket.

"I'm very optimistic about the fresh winds blowing in the DDCA after the entry of Rohan, who is very impressive as a mature mind. At the same time, I feel he has the same zest and passion that I had seen in Arun (Jaitley) ji when he had entered DDCA (in 1999). I hope he takes us forward and we can move ahead with lot of issues that have dragged Delhi cricket to a frustrating low in recent years," he said, referring to a spate of issues that have afflicted DDCA over the years.

"He shares my vision of putting off-season cricket activity for all age a groups back on track so that we are abreast with many state associations who start their season in June and July and not September like us. The results will be there for everyone to see in a couple of seasons if we are able to implement the plans and our convictions," said Wassan.

The DDCA would have to quickly put its house in order as the 2020-21 season begins with the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on January 10.