CALCUTTA (Reuters)
Indian cricket chief Jagmohan Dalmiya has refused to accept a Friday deadline from the world governing body for a decision on whether banned batsman Virender Sehwag will be picked for the first Test against England.

International Cricket Council chief executive Malcolm Speed has given the Indian cricket board (BCCI) until 0630GMT (12 noon Calcutta time) on Friday to decide whether or not Sehwag will play in the match starting at Mohali on Monday.

"The chief executive officer is asking for details of the team. I can't tell him that," Dalmiya told a news conference on Wednesday. "I do not know where this deadline has come from.

"Who can dictate a deadline to anyone? The team will only be named on the morning of the match."

Sehwag, who was named in a 14-man squad on Wednesday, was banned for one match by referee Mike Denness for dissent in the second Test in South Africa. India refused to accept Denness as the match referee for the third Test which was then stripped of its official status by ICC.

As Sehwag did not play in the match the Indian authorities said they considered he had now served his ban and would be available to play against England. ICC disagreed, saying his ban still stood as the match was now unofficial.

If India failed to meet the ICC deadline, ICC may also strip the match against England of its Test status.

"We have already cancelled the status of one Test, which is unprecedented," Speed said on Tuesday. "I don't want to see that happen again."

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd