Cricket going for a toss

It is perhaps the unkindest cut of all as far as Indian cricket goes. The root cause of the current imbroglio that is bound to render unfathomable misery is that the pathetic state-of-affairs stems from a battle for one-upmanship that is being waged by ego-ridden power-mongers coming under the garb of cricket promoters.

It is one thing for the administrators of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the representatives of the Supreme Court-constituted Committee of Administrators (CoA) to fight among themselves and quite another to wash dirty linen on the global canvas. Somehow, these self-styled crusaders of clean cricket do not seem to understand that their infighting is destroying what little remains of India’s image.

As it is, the Big Brother status took a severe drubbing when the BCCI ‘office-bearers’ struck to their guns and demanded their ounce of flesh from the International Cricket Council (ICC). They ought to realise that there is no N Srinivasan in their midst to call the shots or make the world respond to his beck and call.

It is rather ridiculous, and even condemnable, that despite strictures from the apex court following the ‘cleansing’ recommendations of Lodha Committee, the members still behave like godfathers of Indian cricketers and as ones who could still make or break a player’s career. This is somewhat laughable that even though they hold on to the posts as a cosmetic cover, they go about as if they are the bosses of world cricket.

It is this inexplicable behaviour that has adversely impacted the BCCI coffers, more so because of the manipulations of the other ‘guardian’ Shashank Manohar, who has to be appreciated for playing his cards rather smartly.

He, in a way, sounded the death-knell of the big three of world cricket –BCCI, Cricket Australia and ECB. The manner the members of BCCI and CoA are at loggerheads is a shameful demonstration that power, and not promotion of the game, is paramount in their scheme of things, irrespective of how one takes it.

None seems to be bothered that the sport is getting lost on the popularity charts. Perhaps, their frustration originates after being brought to size in ICC meetings where even member-nations like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe wield as much electoral power as the big three. Bless ICC for its democratic structuring!

The suspense over the participation in Champions Trophy has been playing in the minds of everyone associated with Indian cricket because both BCCI and CoA are sticking to their guns, least concerned that they are killing the interest of the fans, who only pray that the game will go on.

The $100 million offer by the ICC boss and BCCI’s steadfastness on getting value for money will dominate the crucial Special General Meeting of the BCCI that is slated for Sunday. It is even more regrettable that the CoA on Wednesday warned the BCCI against taking any unilateral decision like pulling out of the Champions Trophy, lest they be taken to the Supreme Court.

One wonders if cricket will lose out completely because of the stubborn and ungentlemanly behavior of these ‘passionate’ promoters.