Despite whispers in some sections about Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly’s seemingly questionable conduct of endorsing products of the Board’s sponsors, the issue is unlikely to crop up during Thursday’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Ahmedabad.
Ganguly’s alleged conflict of interest or ethical misconduct has neither been listed in the agenda nor has any member representative sought a discussion about it in writing. As a result, if at all it is to be discussed, a State association representative will have to speak up towards the end of the meeting when “other matters” can be discussed with the permission of the chair.
“Who will bell the cat has been a permanent problem in BCCI, especially over the last decade,” said a BCCI old-timer on condition of anonymity. “It’s highly unlikely that there’ll be an official discussion on the floor of the house. The same happened during the IPL scandal as well. Nobody wants to offend the office-bearers.”
A few representatives were discussing the possibility of one of the six office-bearers questioning Ganguly over his list of endorsements — sometimes even of brands that are direct competitors of the BCCI’s sponsors — since taking over the reins in October 2019.
However, not many are optimistic about any action on the matter. Multiple member representatives stated to The Hindu that had there been a revolt brewing, Wednesday’s exhibition match between President XI and Secretary XI wouldn’t have been played cordially at the refurbished Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium in Motera, on the outskirts of the city.
It is also understood that the Ganguly camp, accustomed to the BCCI’s ways of functioning, is taking no chances and will carry a bunch of documents specifying legal opinion that clears him of any wrongdoing.
Selectors’ interviews today
The Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and the BCCI office-bearers along with cricket development professionals have scheduled interviews with shortlisted candidates for vacant posts in junior and senior selection committee. While the CAC headed by S. Madan Lal is scheduled to interview 10 former cricketers for the three vacant posts, the four slots in the junior committee will be interviewed by others.
Prominent candidates that have been invited for the senior selectors’ interviews include Ajit Agarkar, Abey Kuruvilla (west), Chetan Sharma, Maninder Singh (north), Shiv Sundar Das, Debasis Mohanty and Ranadeb Bose (east). It is expected that the AGM will ratify the new selection committe members.
Major decisions expected
While the AGM is set to approve the addition of two new teams to the IPL, it is also likely to authorise office-bearers to decide the BCCI’s stance on pushing for cricket’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympics. Besides, the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) is likely to be re-jigged so that the interview process for the three vacant posts in the selection committee can be started.
Member tests positive
It is understood that all the members were tested immediately upon their arrival in Ahmedabad and a member from a North-Eastern State was found to be COVID-19 positive. He has been isolated and will not be allowed to attend the meeting.
