The rift between BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) members and Supreme Court appointed CoA is rising daily. Recently, during an interview with The Indian Express, the BCCI interim secretary Amitabh Choudhary spoke about his present relationship with CoA.
When Choudhary was asked about the CoA’s refusal to recognise the recent SGM on June 22, he replied, “There are few parallels in history where an authentic, legally sound democratic set-up has been rejected in such an autocratic way. Only in December 2017, a general body had met to deliberate on many fundamental policy issues and those decisions became the basis of major marketing forays, fetching the BCCI unprecedented figures. Suddenly what has happened that the General Body is not acceptable? Till the time a certain purpose was being served by the General Body, it went down well. The moment the General Body was likely not to toe the line, it became unconstitutional.”
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When he was further asked that the CoA claimed the SGM notice was issued without seeking the panel’s nod, Choudhary said they were informed just like all the other BCCI members were informed.
The interim secretary said, “They were informed just as the members were informed. Besides, this meeting was invoked as a result of the members’ requisitions in which the secretary could play no role except call the meeting.”
Choudhary also spoke out about the rapid rise of Indian team management power on the new cricketing issues like day/night Test with the pink ball, Yo-Yo fitness test etc.
He said on that, “Because of the consistent violations of the BCCI constitution and the efforts to undermine the office-bearers, an atmosphere has come about where such things (player power) might naturally happen. On the issue of day/night Tests, head coach (Ravi Shastri) is recorded to have sent me a mail, agreeing with the idea. That was in February. So where the team is concerned, the only thing which is recorded is an affirmation from head coach after consultation with players. The rest of what has been said by the CoA was said without ascertaining the facts.”
Choudhary was also asked that who took the decision to bring the Yo-Yo fitness test and setting the minimum mark of 16.1. Besides that, he was also asked about Ambati Rayudu’s omission from the team due to not just passing the fitness test.
He answered, “The BCCI hasn’t approved any such tests, nor has it set any qualifying marks for selection. I’m not aware whose decision it was (Rayudu’s omission). The BCCI treasurer has written to the CoA in this matter.”
Recently, CoA has questioned on his recent travelling as they have not felt happy on his recent inland and foreign travel. Even recently, CoA has asked him to watch the ongoing Indian cricket team’s matches in England on his own expenses.
When Choudhary was asked whether he has filed the reply, he said, “If the CoA is unhappy about the travel, then they got to be unhappy with the BCCI regulations. probably they are not aware that the secretary happens to be the convener of each and every BCCI panel. So what does he do, stay put in Ranchi to please them? Nothing proves it better that those making this allegations have a prejudiced mind. Of course, unmindful of what has been done so far for implementing the Principal Judgment of July 18, 2016, on which I would like them to educate us as to how far they have gone apart from writing emails. For my part, I can tell you that I was able to at least persuade 12 Full Members to go by the Lodha reforms and the principal judgment in writing.”
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Talking about the present unhappy relationship between him and CoA, Choudhary said, “They had certified me as the only office-bearer who are making an effort at implementing reforms. But in the garb of supervising administration, if irregular appointments are sought to be made, if decisions not in keeping with the laws are being made, I will not toe the line. The moment that happened, they started differing with me. So it’s something personal.”
