Performance the only criteria for selection: Venkat

Kolkata: Newly appointed Indian selector Raja Venkat has said performance will be the only criteria for selecting players into the Indian team.

Venkat was on Saturday drafted into the Indian selection panel along with Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Surendra Bhave, Yashpal Sharma and Narendra Hirwani, and their first assignment will be to select the Indian team for the Test series against the visiting Australians.

Agency reports quoted Venkat as saying, "performance should be the only criterion in choosing the national squad."

"The records of the players should speak for them," he added.

When asked about the possibility of Sourav Ganguly being included in the squad for the first Test against Australia, Venkat said, "Let's see. And why only Sourav, the records of all those who have a good record will be considered."

Venkat, like the chairman of selectors Srikkanth, too had an eye on the World Cup 2011. He said the focus of the selection panel would be to plan for the tournament, which will be played in the sub-continent, but keeping in mind that India doesn't suffer from losing a few of its top players. He said, "By the time the next World Cup comes, there will be lot of changes in the side. And this transition has to be smooth. It has to be done properly."