The Sports-India Community

“Five years ago, frankly speaking, but for the stadium here (Visakhapatnam), we hardly had anything in the districts,” says MSK Prasad, ACA's director for six years before he was appointed an India selector last year. “Our primary focus was on developing infrastructure. When we thought we had the infrastructure, we developed the academies,” adds Prasad, who became India's chief selector two months ago. The state now has a staggering 18 first-class grounds. It also has three residential academies for boys/men (Under-14, Under-16 and Under-19) and one for women.

One important change made during Prasad's tenure as director was the advent of neutral selectors for the senior team. “It's been prevalent for six years,” says Prasad. “So, no selector can push for the selection of a player from his own district. When we post them to see matches, no selector is posted to view matches involving his own district.”

ACA has a policy of allowing parents to question selection. “In the last six years, hardly three-four parents have questioned selection,” says Prasad. “When they come, we host them free in a hotel, we show them the stats, we call the chairman of the selection committee. He must speak to them in front of us — director and secretary — and explain why their children were not selected.” The idea, says Prasad, is not to question the integrity of the selectors, but to “clear the doubts of the parents”, because “all parents believe that their kid is the best, an icon”!