One of the most important decisions made in the history of the game was when N Srinivasan, the BCCI treasurer, announced that the zonal selection system would be scrapped. BCCI will be appointing full-time selectors without any regional bias. However no time was set for the appointment.

Former cricketers and analysts have for long voiced their displeasure against the current system of zonal selections which has led to the selection of sub-standard players while more deserving players have had to warm the benches. And with role of the selectors being honoree, with no pay, there have always been allegations of players paying bribes to cement their place in the team. BCCI's latest decision to appoint full time selectors looks to be promising from the outset. However the success largely depends on whom BCCI appoints as selectors, since the criteria for becoming a selector remains the same.

However the major issue of debate, as well as a possible confrontation point between BCCI and the players, has to be the decision to limit the number of endorsements that a player can make. Srinivasan said that each player would be limited to endorse just three products and that too only when BCCI approves the product. Srinivasan added that players would have to finish shooting for new commercials two weeks prior to any match/tournament.

With India's poor performance in the World Cup, there has been a huge outcry among the public, with the general opinion being that endorsing products left, right and center has been the major cause of India's early exit. Srinivasan looked ill at ease on answering the torrent of questions fired by the journalists over the issue and said that this was not BCCI's "original" idea, instead it was suggested by the panel of former captains.

Yet another point that could lead to a tussle between the players and the BCCI is the decision to make away with graded contracts and the instead implement a single fee structure that will see all the players receiving the same amount of money, apart from performance bonuses.

This would mean that an established and world-class batsman like Sachin Tendulkar would be receiving the same amount of match-fee given to a rookie such as VRV Singh. Though no official figure has been announced, it has been learnt that players will receive Rs 1 lakh for each limited overs fixture and around Rs 2 lakh for test matches.

On a positive note, Srinivasan revealed that it will be made mandatory for players to play a fixed number of domestic matches while not included in the national team. Accepting the suggestion of the panel, the number of teams in the Ranji Trophy Elite group will be reduced to 10 from the current number of 15 teams.

Other decisions include appointment of Rahul Dravid as the team captain for the next three tours, appointment of Ravi Shastri as the team manager for the tour of Bangladesh, appointment of Robin Singh as the fielding coach and Venkatesh Prasad as the bowling coach, notice issued to Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh for comments made to the media, promise to produce faster pitches for domestic cricket, promise of appointing permanent team manager and media manager and the formation of an advisory committee with BCCI president Sharad Pawar as the chairman and the seven former captains as members.

Of all the decisions taken by the BCCI, only the scrapping of zonal selection system looks to have a positive effect on the quality of the game. Here again much will depend on whom the BCCI chooses on the committee. As for the rest of the decisions, such as cap on number of endorsements, it seems that BCCI has played into the hands of the general public (or is it the other way around).

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