(UDHAYAM, MUMBAI) – As the Supreme Court gets ready to hear the matter involving the BCCI, vis-a-vis the third status report filed by the Committee of Administrators (CoA) seeking certain clarifications, all eyes happen to be on former India captain Sourav Ganguly who – if given an opportunity – doesn’t mind becoming India’s representative at the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The Indian cricket fraternity is watching Ganguly’s moves keenly, and is in shock and awe – both – at the former batsman’s single-minded determination to grab the highest echelons in the game’s administration. “He’s the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB). At one time, he wanted to become an office-bearer in BCCI. He’s a member of the IPL Governing Council, chairman of the BCCI’s technical committee. He’s business partners with an IPL franchise owner. He’s busy doing endorsements. He now wants to do commentary at the Champions Trophy.
“And now he also wants to represent India at the ICC. How interesting is that? Especially since we’re talking about so called conflicts,” is how a senior ex-functionary of the BCCI reacted on the eve of the SC hearing. Ganguly, for his part, chose not to comment. “I’m not too keen to talk right now,” is all he said.
At the behest of four associations – Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Baroda and Bengal – Ganguly’s name has been pitched, though the former skipper himself hasn’t gone on record yet, stating his intent. The four associations clearly do not want senior Tamil Nadu administrator N Srinivasan to go to the ICC as BCCI’s representative, in case the SC clarifies the 70-year-old age cap rule – part of the Lodha reforms – in favour of the BCCI old guard.
The CoA, in its 12-page status report, has sought clarifications over a few important issues, primary ones being whether they need to implement the two sets of FAQs listed by the Justice Lodha Committee, so as to form text for the new memorandum of rules and regulations and the court’s directives on who can and cannot represent state units and BCCI at ICC meetings despite not being eligible to function under the Lodha reforms.
BCCI’s acting president CK Khanna had first called for a Special General Meeting (SGM) on April 9. However, with these four associations saying that they’d rather wait for the SC to clarify the 70-year-old age cap rule, the SGM was adjourned and will now be held on April 18, a day after the SC hearing.
