NEW DELHI: Former India batsman Sandeep Patil was named Thursday as the new chief selector ahead of home Test series against England and Australia, the country's cricket board announced.

The 56-year-old replaced Krishnamachari Srikkanth whose tenure saw India clinch the 50-over World Cup at home last year and rise to number one in the Test rankings.

Patil, a member of the 1983 World Cup-winning team in England, retired from international cricket in 1986 with 1,588 runs in 29 Tests and 1,005 runs in 45 one-day internationals.

The other selectors in the new five-man panel were Roger Binny, Saba Karim, Vikram Rathour -- all former Test players -- and Rajinder Singh Hans.

“We wanted a person of sufficient stature to be the new chairman,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India president N. Srinivasan told the media in Mumbai.

“And I think Sandeep Patil fits the bill. No one can question his credentials.”The selectors' first assignment will be to pick the squad against second-ranked England, who arrive in India next month to play a four-Test series.

India, currently fifth in the International Cricket Council Test rankings, will also play four Tests against Australia at home this season.