CRICKET BOARD

Absolute failure

PTI5_7_2017_000059a BCCI's special general meeting in New Delhi on Sunday | PTI

How the BCCI old guard, office bearers failed the sport, players and fans

“Do you see him sitting in the far corner?,” asked a state representative after the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s Special General Body Meeting got over. “He has nothing to say or talk beyond cricket, on how he opposes reforms, what resolution he forced or what media statement he gave.”  The person he was talking about is one of the senior most cricket administrators, a man affected by the Justice Lodha Committee recommendation of age and tenure cap at both the state and the BCCI level. He will cease to exist once the reforms are fully implemented. He was one of the most vociferous voices in the SGM demanding legal action against International Cricket Council. 

In the past three months and even before—ever since the Committee of Administrators put in place by the Supreme Court to administer cricket in India took charge,  the lack of statesmanship,guidance and maturity  on display by most members especially the old guard in the BCCI has  been laid bare. Most veteran  cricket administrators and the current set of remaining office bearers have not only failed in their duty to administer the sport but also failed in giving mature direction. The world’s richest cricket board has come out looking like an impudent child, only willing to go one way and not another. It has stubbornly hung onto the coattails of one person—ousted BCCI president N. Srinivasan, unwilling to come out of his shadow.     

Ever since the matter of financial and governance changes in the ICC came up, the BCCI chose to adopt its 'all or nothing, we are the big daddies of world cricket' approach. Deliberate delay in naming team for ICC Champions Trophy, threats of a pullout and possibly collapse of the event were made on a regular basis. It took some serious warnings from Vinod Rai-led CoA and an SC order to ensure Srinivasan stayed away. The court ordered acting office bearers to consult CoA; only the acting secretary met with CoA before leaving for the ICC board meetings. The BCCI still insisted on passing a resolution that gave no power to Amitabh Choudhary to negotiate. The CoA had warned BCCI  that if it stuck to its demand of getting $570million, it will lose both face and money. It even warned them that the result would be a 9-1 vote against India—which it finally was. 

It must be noted none of the acting office bearers even once assured on record that cricket would not suffer and that India would definitely participate. Instead an environment was created where doubts about the same were aired. Acting secretary later shrugged off these doubts saying, “There was a lot of talk about it, yes, but there were only talks, nothing concrete.” Convenient.

It was the CoA which assured Skipper Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble that the team would indeed go for champions Trophy. Was it not the duty of office bearers to assure players and fans? 

The Srinivasan group worked overtime on  the resistance movement even as back room talks for negotiated settlement with ICC took place under the guidance of CoA’s Vinod Rai and Vikram  Limaye, and Union finance minister and former Delhi Cricket boss Arun Jaitley. Senior Congress MP and IPL Governing Council Chairman Rajeev Shukla too joined the small group looking for a peaceful resolution. Maharashtra’s Abhay Apte and Cricket Club of India’s Kapil Malhotra openly spoke out against the possibility of India backing out of Champions Trophy.

After the ICC’s decision to give India $293 million plus a possible 100 million more, a move wherein  state associations were asked to give in writing backing sending the ICC a legal notice gathered steam. There were reportedly 23 state associations including the likes of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Saurashtra  sent in their assent. Very few—two of the three government institutions namely Services and Universities, Delhi, Maharashtra, Mumbai and Uttar Pradesh refused to submit these letters. Maharashtra’s Apte,  explaining his refusal to send such letter, said, “I am a lawyer and I will never agree to anything without reading the documents. I asked them to show me the Members Participating Agreement signed with ICC and only then I will take a call on whether to issue a letter agreeing to legal action.”

It’s a shame that most associations who sent their letter agreeing to send a legal notice to ICC had not even seen or read the MPA. 

Railways was the only government institution which sent its consent for legal action, but questions are reportedly being asked on whether Railways Sports Promotion Board secretary Rekha Yadav had consulted the RSPB president before doing so. The other government institutions had consulted those in authority. Reportedly, Union HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar’s stand conveyed to CoA was that while it was for reforms in sports bodies and would abide by SC order, it wanted its full voting right to be duly restored. The Universities representative also reportedly conveyed that it was “against any  individuals or vested interests controlling  cricket.” Services and Universities did not submit any letter thereby debunking a move allegedly initiated by former BCCI president Anurag Thakur that the government was in favour of a pull out! Thakur’s said move has reportedly infuriated Jaitley. 

Some members complained to the CoA that they were being pressured to submit the letters which resulted in CoA shooting two letters to the acting secretary and  sending copies to every state association urging restraint and adoption of a non-confrontational approach. It was one of the worst days in Indian cricket when the CoA requested BCCI members to show maturity and focus on more serious issues. Of course there was a sugar coated warning also in these letters wherein CoA made it clear that if the BCCI didn’t select and confirm participation in CT, it would do the needful. 

CoA, in their one on one meetings with state associations from various zones, impressed upon BCCI members that legal action would mean doors closed on any negotiation for a better deal and the possibility of India missing all ICC events from 2017-2023. 

Most importantly, it was the COA which pointed out to the members that they were focussing their energies on the wrong issue, that it was not the financial changes but the governance changes in the ICC which needed urgent attention from the BCCI as it would change the power dynamics of the ICC. 

CoA showed BCCI members the actual numbers that they would lose or earn. “I have always said that USD 100 million more is okay. India can make up the money by playing bilateral series. They get Rs 45 crore for playing a single match at home," Rai said while dropping in at a five star facility to attend IPL GC meeting. “Eight and a half pages out of eleven sent by ICC on draft changes in constitution were pertaining to changes in governance structure,” revealed Rai ahead of IPL  GC meeting. 

In Sunday SGM, Srinivasan, reportedly, still backed legal action as did Niranjan Shah. But more and different people spoke out, after spending the Saturday evening discussing and mulling over what CoA had told them. 

Shukla told the members that BCCI was being perceived as anti-ICC, anti-SC, Anti-CoA and anti-cricket. But the arrogant stance persists as Amitabh Choudhary, a former IPS officer said, “We have conceded nothing. Let that be unequivocally clear that BCCI concedes nothing.” 

Such has been the obsession over so called financial losses that the acting office bearers have ignored  important matters like taking a call on Team India’s support staff contracts. Amitabh Choudhary told reporters, “As you know, BCCI has been consumed by other urgent matters. Unless we deliberate, it will not be fair for me to comment. I do understand the urgency of this matter, maybe we will get to it after today.”

For far too long, cricket officials' egos have come in way of duty. It was no different this time. As fans and media awaited the decision of the BCCI on deciding date of announcement for CT squad and confirming India’s participation, acting President C.K. Khanna came out and confirmed the same much to everybody’s relief. However, when asked to re-confirm, acting secretary, also convenor of selection committee, refused to do so, choosing evasive answers instead.

Finally, the lowest moment came when BCCI acting president requested for Rs 20lakhs worth of complimentary passes of IPL from Vinod Rai. It was firmly turned down. Asked to comment on his president’s  request, Choudhary bent his head, grimaced, turned red and replied no comments.

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Topics : #BCCI

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