Selectors don't buy latest bonanza

MUMBAI: On the face of it, the Rs 25 per lakh per annum being offered by the Indian cricket board for each national selector seems like a sure-shot winner. So how come not many are enthused by the idea and are, more or less, against the go-pro policy?
Well, those who know their maths and rupees have already discovered that if they take the Rs 8 lakh deduction in the form of income tax, they don���t really gain much in the bargain.If you add the condition that the pros will have to give up all other positions and jobs, they will, in fact, end up losing a lot more.
Currently, each honorary selector gets a daily allowance of Rs 10,000, apart from actuals on travel and hotel expenses; if you multiply that by the number of days they are expected to be on duty (watch matches, that is), the net amount comes to virtually the post-tax figure at stake.
That is one of the prime reasons why even the outgoing selectors, who used to have a grouse against their honorary status, are not being very enthusiastic at the money on offer. More importantly, quite a few hold (or used to hold) important posts in their respective associations. Giving that up means foregoing the clout they yield.
Be that as it may, who are the likely candidates who are likely to be part of the new panel? If the current mood in favour of golden oldies prevails, GR Viswanath would be the front-runner from the South. Having done a good job, Dilip Vengsarkar could be given an extension too (especially, as the high-paying IPL job that he was supposed to bag may not materialise soon). Chetan Chauhan is expected to be back from North, unless Chetan Sharma or Nikhil Chopra also enter the fray.
Central Zone is the big question mark. India leggie Narendra Hirwani���s name is floating around. But he comes from MP where the incumbent Sanjay Jagdale also hails from. Prashant Vaidya from the president���s home association, Vidarbha, was an option. But the former fast bowler is now on the executive committee of VCA and is also director of coaching at its academy.
UP has India ODI player Gyanendra Pandey. But he marginally fails the new stipulations that demand that a selector should have last played international cricket 10 years ago. If the rules are followed strictly, Pandey will have to settle for the junior selector���s post.East Zone doesn���t have many options. The names doing the rounds include internationals Devang Gandhi and Sardindu Mukherjee and non-internationals Raju Mukherjee and Raja Venkat.
Raju has been a diligent talent scout (TRDO). There is a lot going in his favour. There would be continuity in the selection process as he would be familiar with emerging talent.
For the same reason, current junior selector Kailash Gattani could also stand a chance at being upgraded to senior selector from the Central Zone. The other name being taken is that of Parthasarathy Sharma, who has worked at the National Cricket Academy.