Mumbai: As the tenure of Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators got to an end with former India skipper Sourav Ganguly taking over as BCCI’s 39th president on Thursday, it was Diana Edulji who looked to be the most relaxed of her two other colleagues --- Vinod Rai and Lt. Gen Ravindra Thodge --- supporting a broad smile on her face.
Though Lt. Gen Thodge looked to be unconcerned with the happenings around him, it was the faceoff between former International Cricket Council (ICC) president N. Srinivasan and Rai which left the later a bit embarrassed at the time of saying a final good-bye to the office he ruled single-handedly for almost last three years.
Having removed by the Apex court after the infamous 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) spot-fixing scandal, the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association’s strongman received a warm welcome on his comeback to the cricket headquarters after a gap of nearly four years. As he came out of the lift on the second floor, where BCCI office is located in Mumbai Cricket Association building, he encountered the three COAs being escorted out of the office after the new BCCI team took over charge officially.
Knowing well that he cannot enter the Board office until the General Body Meeting (SGM) gets over as per the directions of the SC, Srinivasan along with former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah, former vice-presidents Rajeev Shukla (also a former IPL chairman) and former treasurer Ravi Savant made their entry into the premises.
It was just a coincidence that 74-year-old Srinivasan, being barred for life to take any official position in the BCCI as per the new constitution, encountered his bête noire (Rai) at the Board’s office gate.
“You destroyed the BCCI,” Srinivasan told Rai as the two shook hands reluctantly.
Rai, on his side, chose not to respond in any manner. Those who have followed the BCCI in the last four years can well understand the outburst of Srinivasan.
On the other hand, former Indian women’s team skipper Edulji looked unperturbed by what was happening around. She exchanged pleasantries with almost every single employee of the BCCI on her way out. “I’m so relaxed. I don’t really have to check of that enormous number of emails every day,” was how she was seen as telling someone.
Not to forget that Edulji was the only one who was at loggerhead with Rai on several issues during her three-year-long stay in BCCI. Be it their disagreement on appointment of an independent committee to probe charges of sexual harassment on CEO Rahul Johri or the appointment of India women’s cricket coach, Edulji always questioned Rai on several issues.
Srinivasan for ICC?
Going by the murmurs inside BCCI headquarters, it looked certain that the 74-year-old Srinivasan could well be heading for ICC as India’s representative.
- It must be mentioned here that it was during Srinivasan’s tenure as ICC president that the “Big Three” proposal --- India, Australia and England --- was accepted by the world cricket body. As per the formula agreed upon then nearly 80 per cent of the total revenue was to be distributed amongst these three nations.
- If implemented, BCCI was to be the biggest beneficiary of the proposal with 22 per cent of the world share was to come in its kitty. But the man who succeeded Srinivasan in ICC, Shashank Manohar, scrapped the entire proposal in the name of “not alienating the rest of the cricketing world”.
That is the reason Srinivasan has been blaming COA chief for causing huge financial loss to BCCI for not protecting the interests during this stay in the cricket body.
It has been reliably learnt that BCCI members informally discussed this issue during the informal get together here on the eve of the GBM on Wednesday.
“Why should India not have a lion’s share in the ICC kitty when we generate nearly 80 per cent of the total revenue,” Srinivasan was seen as telling an official on Thursday, adding: “I did the same when I went to ICC. For the first time, I got India its due recognition in the committee of nations. Unfortunately, things have been frittered away by subsequent events and people. But you can't take away anything from India permanently because you have to recognise that India is literally sustaining international cricket. India is bankrolling world cricket. So, I’m not worried because, it may take time, but we will eventually get our due.”
Meanwhile, new BCCI president Ganguly looks to be on the same page when it comes to dealing with the ICC.
“The ICC matter is important for everyone to know. BCCI is to get $372 million from the ICC in the five-year cycle. It is a lot heavy at the back end because there are two World Cups --- T20 World Cup in Australia and the Champions Trophy in India. Till now, we have got whatever it is and we make sure we get our due. We will work with the ICC and take this forward,” Ganguly echoed his priorities in his first presser after taking over on Thursday.
This is another thing that former India skipper chose to stay away from making his choice public regarding BCCI’s choice of representative for ICC.
(The opinion in the article is that of Sr Sports Journalist Chander Shekhar Luthra)
