Kumble raises questions at WC meeting on overseas Test debacle

The BCCI is likely to ask national coach Duncan Fletcher to submit a report on India's twin Test series debacle in England and Australia after former India captain Anil Kumble raised the issue at the Working Committee meeting in Chennai today.

"Kumble asked a very pertinent question at the meeting about what steps are being taken after India's back-to-back dismal show in England and Australia and whether the issue has been discussed with coach Duncan Fletcher," a senior BCCI official told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

The former India captain is also a president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association.
"Kumble was told that Fletcher is back home for a break before the long season kicks off.

Once he is back from the break, the BCCI will ask him to submit a detailed report on what went wrong and the necessary corrective measures that needs to be undertaken. The report will also be tabled at the next working committee meeting," the official said.

It must be recalled that the only significant change that happened after the 0-4 Test series loss in Australia was not renewing the contract with bowling coach Eric Simons, who made way for little-known Australian Joe Dawes.

Meanwhile there is another confusion whether former India captain Mohammed Azharuddin and domestic heavyweight Ajay Sharma will be entitled to BCCI's disbursements since they are yet to be cleared of match-fixing charges.

While Azhar is entitled to get Rs 1 crore for playing 99 Test matches, Ranji Trophy run-machine Sharma can get richer by Rs 30 lakh considering that he has played over 100 first-class matches.

Azharudding, who is currently a Member of Parliament, hasn't yet got his life ban over match-fixing charges overturned.

"We still have no clue whether Azhar or Ajay will be entitled to that sum. The BCCI will certainly take a call," the source said.

However, another former India captain Kapil Dev, who was at loggerheads with the Board for joining hands with the now defunct Indian Cricket League (ICL) is likely to get Rs 1.5 crore for playing over 100 Test matches along with likes of Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble.

Of late, Kapil unlike Azharuddin has been invited for various Board functions