Sourav Ganguly reveals new panel to select Indian squad for South Africa ODIs

Kolkata : BCCI President Sourav Ganguly on Monday confirmed that a new selection panel will be picking the Indian squad for the three ODIs at home in March.

Laxman Sivaramakrishnan, Ajit Agarkar, Rajesh Chauhan and Venkatesh Prasad are some of the key contenders to replace outgoing chairman MSK Prasad (South zone) and Gagan Khoda (Central zone) in the five-member panel.

"The Test squad for New Zealand has already been picked by the old committee and new committee's first meeting will be held before home ODI series against South Africa. The interviews for short-listed candidates will happen soon," Ganguly said.

He also announced that Gautam Gambhir will be replaced as he cannot hold any position being the member of Parliament.

"We have decided on Gautam's replacement and the announcement will be made soon. Madan Lal and Sulakshana are there," he said. Meanwhile Ganguly also informed that all-rounder Hardik Pandya has still not attained match fitness after his back surgery. "He can't play right now. It will take some time before he gets fit," the BCCI president said.

Hardik had recently failed the fitness test in his bid to make a national come back.

His trainer S Rajnikant had claimed that Pandya can pass YoYo Test, it is understood that the Baroda all-rounder is nowhere close to attaining international match fitness.