Click to play videoWhile one is still not sure of what will be the fate of this venture, the one thing which is clear now is that the BCCI is also under immense pressure.
Cricket and the business of it is getting from bad to worse. First a no-holds-barred battle between the Indian cricketing establishment and coach, Greg Chappel, followed by constant leaks from the cricket board about what it intends to do with Chappell and Indian players after the World Cup disaster.
On Tuesday, there was another bombshell when ZEE Telefilms Chairman, Subhash Chandra announced the setting up of a parallel cricket league, which will be called India Cricket League to counter the BCCI.
So who should to be blamed for India’s cricketing woes? Should the BCCI be held accountable for India's World Cup defeat? That’s the question of the day on CNN-IBN’s show Face the Nation.
On the panel of discussion were former BCCI President Raj Singh Dungarpur, former cricketer Yashpal Sharma and advocate Rahul Mehra who filed a PIL against BCCI seven years back.
In a different league
The Essel Group on Tuesday took the BCCI by surprise by announcing a parallel cricket league in the country. While Kerry Packer's dream child revolutionised world cricket 30 years ago, it remains to be seen whether this Indian Cricket League will benefit the game in this country.
It may not quite be a repeat of what Kerry Packer did to world cricket way back in the 80s but is this symptomatic of what ails Indian cricket establishment?
“If Zee feels that they are going to run it as a tournament then there will not be a problem,” Sharma said.
But if they wish to run it as a tournament then where are the players? Subhash Chandra has not named anybody till now.
“There are so many tournaments in India every year. And all the current players play in them. BCCI will allow any player to participate in that. The moment Zee management will come out with a contract that says ‘here is the money but the condition is that you will play for us.’ Then it will look like a parallel board and the problem will start,” Sharma said.
However, the other aspect of the problems plaguing the board is if one looks at the situation seven ago when Mehra filed his petition. His basic charge was that the BCCI was running like a private organisation. Many believe that the monopoly of the BCCI has been broken by someone like Subhash Goel today. So is there a harm in it?
Mehra begins his argument by saying that the BCCI wasn’t even run like a private organisation.
“I would be glad if they run it as one then maybe we could have something like a Microsoft or Infosys where the public body gets entangled with the CEO and the management,” Mehra said.
Mehra, however, added that the current lot is slightly better than the previous lot.
“Previous lot will not even give a chance to the ex players to come and disclose their viewpoints. So they are at least publicly perceived to be better,” Mehra reasoned.
According to the advocate, there are four to five issues that they need to be look into to make the team function smoothly.
- Selection cannot be based on zones or the criteria’s, which are existing.
- They need to have talent scouts and international quality umpires.
- They need to sort out the selection and the election process of every state association.
- They need to have infrastructure of the best quality.
If these are all the problems that are being confronted by the Indian cricketing system then what is wrong with Chandra’s efforts?
Walking the tightrope Sharma said, “It’s a wake up call for BCCI. It is the one of the richest boards in the world but infrastructure in the grassroot level is not up to the mark.”
With the present circumstances it seems this is a battle, which is now heading towards the courts – BCCI vs Subhash Chandra.
Disagreeing Dungarpur said that it is not going to be a challenge because both sides are talking to each other regarding the issue. “I am sure that Subhash Chandra and Sharad Pawar would not like to have a boxing match in this regard. The matter will be sorted out,” Dungarpur added.
However, it is a known fact that Pawar and Chandra are actually quite close to each other. So, is this some kind of a trick that is being played behind the scenes?
“I know both of them very well and they are well-intended people. I don’t think there is going to be anything like Kerry packer business,” Dungarpur said curtly.
But Chandra is literally saying that the present cricketing establishment is not able to perform its job and so he wants to set up a parallel cricket league. Will this not create a messy situation for the cricketers?
“Cricketers are smart enough. The whole thing is a commercial exercise and the boys will be able to stand up to the demands that Chandra and the board will offer. Both will throw carrots at them. Where ever the players think that their needs are being met and the future is ensured they will just jump into it,” Dungarpur reasoned matter-of-factly.
Chandra has said that he wants to start with a 20-20 tournament with non-contracting players and may be at some stage he also might throw carrots, as Dungarpur says, towards contracting players.
To which Sharma said, “According to my calculation then there will be a problem because the moment they will sign the contract with Zee as well as BCCI then the players will have to choose one. So then the problem will arise.”
Chappell courts controversies
Barring Tuesday’s Chandra episode, there is something else also that has been brewing over the last 48 hours in the cricketing circle. It is an ugly side of cricket, something which was till now restricted only to the political domain.
Off record conversations and media leaks are things, which one is not accustomed to see in the cricketing fraternity. So, what exactly is happening between the BCCI and Greg Chappell?
Without batting an eyelid Dungarpur said, “Nothing is happening. It is just a figment of imagination of the press.”
“The whole thing looks quite peaceful to me and nothing unusual has happened. What has happened if India did not win the World Cup? What can the BCCI do if the players don’t play to their potential? The Indian team has well behaved boys, they are committed to their cause and Greg Chappell has done a wonderful job. Those who don’t understand the game it is better that they don’t interfere with it,” Dungarpur added.
So, according to the former BCCI president there is no reason to believe the reports, which have been appearing in the press recently even if some of them have been coming from anonymous BCCI sources suggesting that Chappell’s time is up.
But why is it that the only man who is not talking is Chappell? There have been statements from BCCI vice-presidents, secretaries, anonymous off record conversations, which have taken place and everyone is suggesting that something is wrong.
“It’s not the question of Greg Chappell. Before that John Wright was there as a coach. I believe that an Indian coach should be there with Indian players. In the 70s and 80s there used to be hardly any coaches. The captains used to look after everything,” Sharma argued.
But is the real problem before the cricketing establishment is the amount of money, which is flowing. The Indian cricket board is the richest with its revenues growing at a huge rate – 40-50 per cent per annum yet these ugly controversies are being witnessed.
But Mehra argued, “Money is not the issue. Transparency is important but the Chappell issue needs to be taken up. He is the ‘honourable’ man that the media portrays him to be. Why is he leaking information and then why is he not denying that what the media is saying are all cock and bull stories.”
But at the end of the day what the country wonders is that is the BCCI trying to shirk away its responsibility? Is it trying to project Chappell as the scapegoat and therefore these are leaks are being seen.
“I don’t think BCCI is doing anything dishonourable and neither is Chappell trying to say anything. It is difficult for me to believe that players like Sachin or Rahul can gang up against anybody,” Dungarpur said.
But there are certain statements on record given by BCCI officials as well like the sort made by BCCI Vice-Presidents Shashank Manohar and Dayanand Narvekar, who had recently said that the Indian team was having a gala time in the West Indies.
Caught on a sticky wicket, Sharma said, “He is a responsible man and there must be something serious for him to say such things.”
Cricket’s darkest hour
The concluding remarks on the show seemed to suggest that with such controversies doing the rounds this is perhaps the darkest hour of Indian cricket.
“There are no controversies that I can imagine. One must depend on the outstanding manager of the Indian Team who is Sanjay Jagdale. Until his report is submitted on April 6, I have no comments to offer” – Dungarpur.
“All this is going to lead to a bigger mess unless and until you make it professional and let professional people handle the game” – Mehra.
“Sanjay Jagdale is a responsible man and his report will be crucial. So, lets wait for it” – Sharma.
Final verdict of the question of the day: Should the BCCI be held accountable for India's World Cup defeat?
92 per cent – Yes
8 per cent – No
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