Appointment of senior and U-23 selectors yet to be fixed by MCA, confirms Raju Kulkarni

Former Mumbai captain Raju Kulkarni

It's been more than a month since Raju Kulkarni, Ravi Thakkar, Sanjay Patil, Jeetendra Thackeray and Kiran Powar were announced as selectors by the Mumbai Cricket Association.

However, they are still waiting for their agreements to reach them. Former India pacer Kulkarni, who was MCA's Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) chief earlier, on Wednesday sent MCA a reminder along with his offer.

"We [selectors] did our work in good faith and selected the U-23 as well as the senior team's probables. As we work for both teams, we will be working for around 1,400 to 1,500 hours in the entire year.

‘We are on equal terms'

"They [MCA] will take a decision on my offer and I am awaiting it. We are on equal terms. If they accept my offer, I will stay, otherwise I will walk away," Kulkarni told mid-day on Thursday.

It is learnt that MCA president Amol Kale will be discussing Kulkarni's offer with his colleagues and will take a decision in a couple of days.

On May 2, MCA's CIC, headed by ex-India opener Lalchand Rajput with members Sahil Kukreja and Preeti Dimri made several appointments for various teams which included Omkar Salvi as the Mumbai senior team's head coach. "We have not received any offer letter or agreement or terms and conditions from MCA and I don't think any appointed selectors have received anything yet. We worked for more than 200 hours for selections in the Madhav Mantri Trophy, the spinners' camp for all age group players etc. So, I gave MCA my offer along with a report on how many hours we worked and our plans for the future," Kulkarni remarked.

MCA's quick response

However, Kulkarni appreciated MCA's quick positive response on his proposals, which he felt was lacking earlier. "We must give credit to MCA for starting off-season activities in June which used to begin in August. I think it is the first time in the history of Mumbai cricket that they made appointments in May.

"The MCA also gave a green signal in just five minutes to our proposals of the spinners' camp, four extra selection matches after the Madhav Mantri Trophy and a camp for pace bowlers before the Kanga League for A and B division players," Kulkarni said.
It is learnt that coaches and selectors for all other age groups received appointment letters and are also awaiting their agreements to sign.


Meanwhile, Mumbai U-16 selector Girish Patki has decided to quit as selector.

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