Gopal Bose

Calcutta: The city-based Gopal Bose, who toured England under Ajit Wadekar in the summer of 1974, has come into the frame for the senior national selector’s job from East.

“Frankly, there aren’t many good candidates in the region, but Bose has the credentials and his name is going to be discussed,” an influential member of the ruling group in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) told The Telegraph on Saturday.

The term of Ranjib Biswal (Orissa), who has been a selector for three years, ends this month. In fact, the entire committee’s innings is coming to a close.

According to the ruling group member, a couple of “trusted” officials have been asked to forward the names of suitable candidates from each of the five zones.

That’s because the selectors getting nominated and then elected from their respective zones is now a thing of the past. They will, instead, be appointed by the BCCI’s principal office-bearers, with the president having the biggest say.

Those given the task of shortlisting in East, one understands, have already put Bose’s name down.

Bose, who is 61, was once seen as arguably the best suited to open with Sunil Gavaskar. They didn’t do so in a full-fledged Test, but did open in unofficial ones against Sri Lanka (then Ceylon).

Incidentally, Bose played in India’s very second ODI — at The Oval, on that 1974 tour of England.

Bose was in the news earlier this year, as the India manager, when Virat Kohli and his boys won the U-19 World Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

Snehashish Ganguly’s name had been doing the rounds for the selector’s post from East, but it seems he won’t exactly be in contention as long as younger brother Sourav is available for selection.

Sourav has been ignored for the Irani Trophy, a trial for the forthcoming Test series versus Australia, but it appears he won’t call it quits immediately.

The former India captain had been very upset (with good reasons, no doubt) on Monday when Dilip Vengsarkar and Co. overlooked him, but won’t take any decision in haste.

As has been announced, the next set of selectors will be paid by the BCCI, a first for sport in India.

Meanwhile, the norms for the senior selectors fixed by the working committee, recently, could get amended at the AGM. Specifically, the (mandatory) period of retirement from the sport may be reduced by half — from 10 years to five.