New power-bases are beginning to take shape in Indian cricket. Jagmohan Dalmiya, fresh from ousting AC Muthiah as president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), wasted no time in appointing Sunil Gavaskar as chairman of the National Cricket Academy in place of Raj Singh Dungarpur, who resigned from the post on Sunday. Once friends, Dungarpur's relationship with Dalmiya had turned sour enough for him to declare publicly that he wouldn't associate himself with a Board that had Dalmiya as president. "I will tender my resignation as chairman of the National Cricket Academy because I will not be able to work with him. I work for cricket and not for the manipulation of the game," he said in an interview a day before the elections.

Gavaskar, with 125 Tests and more than 10,000 runs behind him, has impeccable credentials to run the fledgling academy, but Dalmiya's decision reeked of recrimination.

Gavaskar had resigned from the Academy last year following a public feud with Dungarpur when both traded charges in the media. Ever since, Dungarpur has never missed an opportunity to snipe at Gavaskar.

Dalmiya announced Gavaskar's appointment on the second day of the BCCI's two-day annual meeting in Chennai. "I had a detailed discussion with Gavaskar," said Dalmiya. "He is a busy person but he will be available at the Academy as much as his services are needed."

Dalmiya said he was unaware of the reasons for Dungarpur's resignation. "You must ask him for the reason," he said innocently. "I have only been informed by Muthiah about the resignation."

Brijesh Patel, the former Indian Test batsman, will continue as director of the academy. Dalmiya said the other members of its committee would be decided in consultation with Gavaskar and Patel.

Contrary to expectations, the Indian selection committee was left largely undisturbed, with four of the five selectors being given a second term. TA Sekar, the selector from South Zone and a Muthiah loyalist, was the only casualty. He was replaced by Shivlal Yadav, the former Test offspinner from Hyderabad.

West Zone's Chandu Borde continues as chairman of the committee. The other selectors are Madan Lal (North Zone), Ashok Malhotra (East), and Sanjay Jagdale (Central).

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd