Chetan's committee to select teams for SL series, KL Rahul might face T20 axe: Report
New Delhi, Dec 24: The outgoing selection committee led by Chetan Sharma will be picking the two white ball Indian squads for the upcoming home series against Sri Lanka, starting January 3, as the new panel will not be named before another week's time, according to BCCI sources.
It is expected that the interviews of the short-listed candidates to pick the selection committee members by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) will happen between December 26 and 28.
"The old committee will probably select the Sri Lanka white ball squad," a BCCI source privy to development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
"As of now, it doesn't look like Rohit Sharma's finger will heal enough before the T20Is and in that case, Hardik will lead the side. As far as KL Rahul is concerned, his T20I days seem to be numbered."
There is a possibility that the T20I side to be named will comprise only the specialists of that format. Some players like Virat Kohli might also be given a break from the T20 format.
While the entire committee led by Chetan was sacked for its non-performance after the Indian team's T20 World Cup semi-final ouster, the process to find new selectors has taken a bit longer than expected.
"Chetan and his committee are still watching domestic cricket. They watched the full Vijay Hazare Trophy and also the first two rounds of Ranji Trophy. Debasish Mohanty was present at Eden Gardens to watch Bengal vs Himachal Pradesh. Basically, they got a two-month extension till December 25," the official said.
Chetan and his central zone colleague Harvinder Singh have reapplied for the selectors' posts, along with the likes of Venkatesh Prasad, Nayan Mongia, Maninder Singh, Atul Wassan, Nikhil Chopra, Amay Khurasiya, Gyanendra Pandey and Mukund Parmar to name a few.
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Andhra CM promises housing for all poor by 2029
Amaravati (PTI): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said his government will ensure housing for all the poor before 2029 and allocate housing plots for those who do not own land.
Addressing the Assembly, the Chief Minister urged eligible beneficiaries who have not received a house to apply, assuring that both the central and state governments would take the responsibility for providing housing to all.
“We will not only build houses for all the poor before 2029 but also provide housing plots to landless people,” said Naidu, adding that the government intends to build houses for all the poor.
Noting that the state government aims to allot housing plots to all before 2029, Naidu said it will build apartments if housing plots were not available.
Ahead of Ugadi festival in 2026, the CM said the government will organise three lakh house warming ceremonies under welfare housing, vowing to organise 10 lakh such events within 2026.
On agriculture, Naidu said the southern state accounts for 10 percent of agricultural production at the national level.
He outlined a five-pronged approach of water security, demand-driven crops, food processing, marketing and government support to develop agriculture.
In fiscal 2025 – 26, the CM said Rs 13,772 crore has been earmarked for free power to agriculture, and a financial aid of Rs 20,000 per annum is being given to farmers under Annadata Sukhibava welfare scheme.
According to him, only Rs 7,500 was given to farmers during the previous YSRCP regime. He highlighted that the TDP-led NDA government is offering more than double that amount.
The TDP supremo also announced plans to expand AI agronomist and farm mechanisation services on a large-scale.
Noting that Rs 14,230 crore investments have flowed into the food processing sector, Naidu said the government is concentrating on this front.
Observing that 15 lakh acres are under natural farming in 8,168 villages, he said the target is to expand it to 50 lakh acres.
Besides setting up a large cocoa city near Eluru, he said the government will provide power at Rs 1.5 per unit to aquaculture, among other initiatives.
Assuring continued support, Naidu said his government would stand by farmers in all circumstances and also extend assistance to tenant farmers.
Meanwhile, Irrigation Minister N Rama Naidu informed the House that water would be supplied up to Anakapalli by June 2026 through Polavaram left main canal.
He also said that the government has allocated Rs 600 crore in FY27 budget for Sujala Sravanti project in North Andhra.
The House was later adjourned till Wednesday, March 4.
