CHENNAI: Reorganising a body running helter skelter since Justice RM Lodha and his team tabled their reform report in Supreme Court in January is the primary task confronting the new bosses of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. If the special general meeting convened on May 22 to elect a new president is the first step, naming the secretary is the second.
With Anurag Thakur likely to nominate Ajay Shirke to the post he leaves vacant after becoming president, the board seems to have reacted quickly following Shashank Manohar’s decision to leave BCCI for ICC. A firm backer of the former president for years, Shirke is surprised with the manner of Manohar’s departure, but ready for the challenge.
“When the going gets tough, the tough gets going,” Shirke told Express from London on Saturday. “It’s perhaps the toughest phase in the history of BCCI for any administrator. We in the board have to face it as a team. The situation is undoubtedly challenging. It’s up to all the members, not just me, to come up with a proper response.”
The businessman based in Pune, whose work frequently takes him abroad, will cut short this trip and return two-three days before the SGM in Mumbai. Shirke said he is still to be approached by Thakur or other members of the BCCI on taking up the secretary’s position, adding that he is not averse to the idea.
“It’s not as if I’m after any post. Having worked for the BCCI for many years, I’m willing to do that in any capacity. Given the challenges the board is facing at the moment, I feel as a senior member it’s my responsibility to do my bit. If members want me as secretary, I’ll give it a serious thought,” said Shirke. He was elected treasurer in 2011, but quit after two years following the IPL spot-fixing and betting fiasco, with then secretary Sanjay Jagdale.
Vocal against N Srinivasan’s handling of the situation back then and known to be close to Manohar in BCCI circles, Shirke was instrumental in convincing the latter to become president for a second time following Jagmohan Dalmiya’s demise last September. Even though some members refused to remain unidentified while being critical of Manohar, the Maharashtra Cricket Association chief said he was somewhat taken aback by the manner of the Nagpur lawyer’s departure.
“I’m surprised that he didn’t give BCCI members a chance to give him a personal farewell. If I were in his position, I would have informed those who had worked closely with me for years of my decision. I don’t want to comment if it was right or wrong for him to leave BCCI and join ICC.”
Representing a unit under scrutiny considering the Lodha panel’s one-state-one-vote recommendation, Shirke felt the task of the new president and secretary will become clearer after the Supreme Court verdict on the case regarding implementation of the recommendations.
“How the BCCI will function depends a lot on the judgement. We’ve to wait till then before charting the way ahead. Whatever be the outcome, it’s going to be a huge challenge for the board,” said the man who has been one of the go-to persons in BCCI at difficult times of late.
— atreyo@newindianexpress.com
Ajay Shirke
Likely as next BCCI secretary. Was treasurer from 2011-13. The president of Maharashtra Cricket Association is 57, and runs businesses in India and Europe.