Circle complete

Having worn several hats as player, coach, manager and curator, Surendra Bhave is now sanguine about carving a niche for himself in his new responsibility as national selector

Pune Mirror, September 29, 2008 Suhrid Barua

Pune: Surendra Bhave has always taken huge pride in wearing different cricketing hats — be it as a player, coach, manager and curator. And the ‘big man’ from Pune will be donning another one — that of a national selector. Widely known as a domestic powerhouse (someone who scored loads of runs at the domestic circuit between 1986-87 to 2000-2001, but always fell prey to the cut-throat competition that existed for berths in Indian team during his playing days), Bhave supplants hitherto chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar from the western zone.

The 42-year-old has carved a niche for himself as a coach in the Maharashtra’s cricket circles and is highly rated for the way he has handled the youngsters over a period of time. But, an entirely new responsibility awaits the big man and he’s up for it. “It’s a gargantuan responsibility, something I’m looking forward to. Among all, the biggest responsibility would be to carry forward the good work done by the earlier selection committee in the right spirit. The earlier committee has taken some outstanding decisions and our job would be to maintain those high standards,” gushed a chuffed looking Bhave.

For the former Maharashtra batsman, who even today regrets missing playing for India, it would be a nice opportunity to give deserving players a fair crack of the whip. “See, only eleven guys get to play for the country. I appreciate the fact that there is a plenty of talent coming up, but at the end of the day, someone has to go home disappointed,” he explains.

How about the pulls and pressures that are synonymous with being a selector or the subtle politicking that goes behind the scenes? Bhave offers a straight bat. “I would like to take up the new assignment with a clean slate. I know the other selection committee members quite well and it would definitely help the new panel dish out a good performance.” His elevation to the national selection committee means he will miss coaching the state’s youngsters. Until now, he has been coaching the under-16 and under-19 lads and was instrumental in Maharashtra winning the Polly Umrigar Trophy (U-15) title last year pipping Mumbai in their own den. “I’m not sure. I don’t know whether the BCCI norms allow one functionary to assume more than one responsibility. I need to speak to MCA on this and decide whether we can balance both roles without each affecting the other,” he quipped.

What’s more, he is on the selection committee panel that would be tagged as the first paid one. “The good thing will be that accountability factor will play a big role in the way we discharge our duties,” was all he would say (grins). The new innings in Bhave’s life will get a formal kickstart when he sits down with the new panel to pick the Indian team for the opening Test against Australia to be held in Bangalore commencing October 9.