CHENNAI: Even though there are issues to be dealt with closer home, the newly-elected BCCI office-bearers have firmly set their eyes on regaining lost ground at the International Cricket Council. Part of it revolves around not only standing in the way of Shashank Manohar’s new governance model that is set to change the structure, but also oppose his extension as ICC chairman next year.
On Wednesday, as former India captain Sourav Ganguly took charge as the new BCCI president with a new set of office-bearers, there were a few dramatic incidents. For the general body meeting, seniors N Srinivasan, Niranjan Shah were told to stay away from the meeting. With both disqualified as per the new constitution and CoA chief Vinod Rai presiding over the general body meeting, it would have caused an issue. Sensing it, Ganguly is understood to have pointed it out to CK Khanna, the acting president until Wednesday. The representatives of Tamil Nadu, Haryana and Maharashtra cricket association were also kept away, since these units are non-compliant.
However, once the general body meeting ended by postponing the passing of accounts to the AGM slated for next month, there was another meeting attended by everybody, including Srinivasan and Shah. In this meeting, important issues were discussed. Though passing of accounts has been delayed by a month, sources in the know said the office-bearers will review the decisions taken in the last three years including that of cricket operations.
Moving on to the ICC, where Manohar has formed a committee involving Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings, Greg Barclay (NZ), Tony Brian (Scotland), Ehsan Mani (Pakistan), Chris Nenzani (SA) and Ricky Skerritt (WI) to suggest a new governance model, the BCCI is keen on having their representative on it. The ICC believes for the model to see the light of day, Manohar has to be given extension as his term ends next June. They are also keen on including more women in administration. As of now, there is only Indra Nooyi as an independent director and ICC believes that with women’s cricket gaining more attention than before, their administration should have more representation from women.
The BCCI for long opposed this governance model, including that of the Woolf report in 2012, as it is looking to stamp its authority. With Srinivasan being spoken about as the BCCI representative pending court clearance, there are talks in the board to oppose the model. The BCCI believes, if Manohar doesn’t get extension then the model can be shelved. So they are unlikely to support his extension. It is understood that if a situation arises, the BCCI may even propose a different name as they have already begun looking back at recent meetings which they were not involved in.
Kohli to be rested
The senior selection panel will meet in Mumbai on Thursday to pick the squads for the T20I and Test series against Bangladesh. Virat Kohli is understood to have sought rest and Rohit Sharma will lead the side in the T20Is. Mumbai’s Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson are in the reckoning. Yuzvendra Chahal is expected to be back in the side, replacing either Kuldeep Yadav or Rahul Chahar. There are also chances of Shubman Gill getting a look-in at the expense of Shikhar Dhawan.