Thursday, September 28 2006 14:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Former Test captain Dilip Vengsarkar is elected India's chief cricket selector with ex-spinner Venkatapathy Raju also joining the five-man panel, officials say.

Vengsarkar takes over from Kiran More, who completed four years in the job and is not eligible for re-nomination under the rules of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Raju replaces V.B. Chandrasekhar, while Ranjib Biswal, Sanjay Jagdale and Bhupinder Singh retain their posts at the BCCI's annual general meeting.

The selection committee comprises one elected representative from each of the five zones outlined by the BCCI. The most senior person is made the chairman.

Of the five selectors, only Vengsarkar and Raju have played Test cricket.

The West Zone in place of More, whose final year as chairman was marked by the controversial sacking of Test captain Sourav Ganguly, nominates Vengsarkar, 50.

Vengsarkar, who retired in 1992 after a 16-year career as a top-order batsman, played 116 Tests and scored 6,868 runs at an average of 42.13 with 17 centuries.

He also played 129 one-day internationals and captained India in 10 Tests, winning two and losing five with three draws.

"Dilip is the right man for the post, with his past experience of top-class cricket. There can be few better candidates than him in India," says BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah on Wednesday (27 Sep, 2006).

Raju, 37, claimed 93 wickets in 28 Tests, but was never considered again after being dropped in 2001 during the home series against Australia.

Meanwhile political heavyweight and federal agriculture minister Sharad Pawar is re-elected BCCI president unopposed for a fresh two-year term.

The Pawar team of secretary Shah, joint-secretary Mahinder Pandove and treasurer N. Srinivasan are also re-elected unopposed for another two years.