These days the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is experiencing mixed feelings of happiness and confusion. In the past 10 months, Indian cricket team has seen sporadic changes, as in its president N. Srinivasan stepped aside thrice from his position. Off lately BCCI has come under the leadership of two heads based on the interim order delivered by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court expelled Srinivasan from all the BCCI related activities until the litigious issues are resolved.
As Srinivasn once again abdicated from his post recently, the apex court has commanded Shivlal Yadav (the Hyderabad Cricket Association Chief) to be the interim president of BCCI operations. In addition, the thrilling T20 event will take place under the care of former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar.
This decision of the Supreme Court has been welcomed with great happiness by both the newly appointed heads and the board. However, the decision has also brought a fair share of bewilderment with it. As in, there is a lot of confusion regarding what exact roles Yadav and Gavaskar are going to play. Who exactly will be in charge?
To find a solution to this problem, few affiliated units have written to the honorary secretary, Mr. Sanjay Patil to call for a Special General Meeting and discuss the repercussions of the court’s orders. The meeting will certainly render a way forward. In order to make Gavaskar and Yadav appointment constitutionally valid, the Board will have to endorse it.
Bewildered Board members desire to know whether Srinivasan can continue to represent the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association at BCCI meetings after stepping aside from his position or not. They also want to know whether Friday’s court verdict will have an adverse bearing on Srinivasan’s aspirations of becoming ICC’s first chairperson in June.
Yet, the biggest confusion hovering BCCI officials is about Gavaskar’s role in conducting IPL 7. Heretofore, the BCCI has operated the IPL through a ten member Governing Council, including its ex-officio members as well. Odisha’s Ranjib Biswal currently heads the council. On the word of the Supreme Court, Gavaskar is up to replace him. He, however, has the freedom to go by the same formula, allowing the collective decision-making process to continue. He will also have to decide if he wants Srinivasan’s trusted man Sundar Raman to continue as IPL’s Chief Operating Officer or not.
Yadav, who seems to have benefitted most from Srinivasan’s fall from favor, will be in charge of keeping the BCCI administrative machinery run smoothly. He will preside over all working committee meetings but he cannot participate in judgments on IPL-related issues.
The BCCI is required to deal efficiently with all such changes in order to maneuver Indian cricket in the right direction.