The Indian team management may be keen to have Munaf Patel in the squad,
but the BCCI is not too happy with the paceman's attitude and appears to
have second thoughts about sending him to Australia.
The BCCI, it is learnt, has taken strong exception to Munaf's decision to skip
the Ranji Trophy match between Maharashtra and Karnataka currently
being played in Ratnagiri.
To make matters worse, neither Maharashtra nor Cricket Board
officials have been able to contact him to get a feedback on his avaibility.
"It is something which has not gone down well with the
officials. If the Board does not get a proper feedback on his recovery and if
he does not prove his fitness in domestic matches, it will be difficult for
him to go to Australia", a BCCI source said.
It is also learnt that Chief Selector Dilip Vengsarkar
has not been able to contact Munaf nor does he have an idea about his whereabouts.
Munaf, recuperating from a back strain, was supposed to play
the Maharashtra-Karnataka Ranji match but had to be omitted from the team since
Maharashtra Cricket officials could not establish contact with him.
"He is prone to injuries and it is necessary for the BCCI
to know how his rehabilitation programme is going. He has to show some seriousness",
the source said.
Munaf was to join the Indian cricket team in Australia as the
17th member from the third Test in Perth but the BCCI had made it clear that
he would have to prove his fitness before embarking on the tour.
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