Decision on Kapil this month: BCCI

Agra, Aug 4 (UNI) BCCI vice president and MP Rajiv Shukla today said any decision on Kapil Dev siding with the Indian Cricket League (ICL) would be taken at the Board's meeting in the third week of August.

Talking to newspersons here this evening, Mr Shukla said BCCI was not averse to ICL or any future tournament organised by it, but the board would not give recognition to such events.

On the need of coach for the Indian cricket team, he said a decision would soon be taken.

''It does not matter if the coach is Indian or a foreigner...however, the services of current bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad and fielding coach Robin Singh would continue,'' he informed.

Mr Shukla said a committee had been formed to finalise a coach, in which former Indian cricket team captain Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Venketraghvan would play important roles.

On the rising fad of Twenty20 Cricket, the BCCI vice president claimed that BCCI was not in favour of such tournaments on an international level, but since cricket bodies of other cricket playing nations supported the idea, India also toed the line.

He further divulged plans for promoting cricket in Uttar Pradesh and disclosed that an important meeting would be held in Agra in this regard.

Besides, we have changed the selection process too, under which selection trials would also be held at places other than Kanpur such as Gorakhpur, Meerut, Allahabad, Agra, Lucknow, Varanasi, Bareilly and Faizabad.

''UP Cricket Association (UPCA) would build a stadium in Lucknow for which steps are being taken at government level,'' he added.

Mr Shukla said matches of the India-Pakistan series would be organised at the Green Park Stadium of Kanpur.

''UP Chief Minister Mayawati has given assurance for improvement in this stadium.'' Meanwhile, a proposal to give pension benefits to talented and former cricket players in UP was under consideration, he added.

UNI