The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced cash rewards to the tune of Rs 20,00,000 each for the five-member senior selection committee after the men-in-blue registered historic wins in Tests and ODIs in Australia. The Virat Kohli-led side started their tour Down Under by splitting the honours in the three-match T20I rubber 1-1 before scripting history when they recorded their first ever series victory in Tests on Australian soil with a 2-1 verdict. In the ODI series, the men-in-blue bounced back from a loss in the opening ODI to convincingly pocket the next two ODIs and the rubber 2-1 to finally wrap up the tour without losing a series. Commenting on the performance of the team and the decision to award the selectors, the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai said: "We are extremely proud of the way Team India have performed in Australia. We had announced cash rewards for cricketers and support staff earlier and are now rewarding selectors. "The five men have played a crucial role in picking a balanced Indian squad and offering the team management enough options to work around different combinations. The boys chosen to represent the Indian team went about their task in a fearless manner and stood up in challenging situations," he added.
Echoing his words, Rai's colleague in the CoA and former women cricketer Diana Edulji said: "Each member who has played a role in India's recent triumphs in Australia needs to be appreciated. With the ICC Cricket World Cup just about four months away, the three-match ODI series in Australia provided excellent preparation for the Indian team. "The selectors have been focusing on a core group of cricketers that will make the cut at the showpiece event. I congratulate them for picking some fine young talents, who performed brilliantly on their maiden tour of Australia."
