Ramachandra Guha, Historian and Crickret writer, resigned as a member of the committee of Administrators (COA) of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Thursday, 1st June 2017.
Ramachandra Guha sent his resignation letter to the Chief of COA, Vinod Rai, stating his reasons to quit from the post. Ramachandra was in oppose to quite a few decisions of the committee which he briefly explained in his letter.
1. Ramachandra Guha was disappointed with the ongoing conflict of interest. He stated that few national coaches were given a 10 months contract, enabling them to coach the Indian Premier League for the next 2 months. He stated that during the camp scheduled for the young players at National Cricket Academy, a coach was likely to be away for IPL work. Ramchandra Guha believed that no person with a contract for Indian Team should work for IPL too.
2. Terming it a “superstar syndrome” Ramachandra Guha opposed the committee’s decision of giving MS Dhoni an ‘A grade’ contract. Ramchandra Guha stated that MS Dhoni retired himself from test cricket in 2014 and as such giving him an ‘A grade’ contract puts forward a wrong message.
3. Based on Indian Cricket Team’s performance, Ramachandra Guha felt the committee should have extended Anli Kumble’s contract instead of looking for new coach. He stated that the credit for the performance of Indian Cricket Team should be given to the Head Coach as well.
“In a system based on justice and merit, the Head Coach’s term would have been extended.” Ramachandra Guha said.
4. Ramachandra Guha also repeatedly pointed that BCCI contracted commentators often act as player’s agents. He stated that, Sunil Gavaskar is the head of the company which represents Indian Cricketers while commenting on those cricketers as a part of BCCI TV company panel. BCCI appointing Sunil Gavaskar as the Head of Player Management Company creates a conflict of interest. Gavaskar should either stop being a commentator for BCCI or step down from PMG.
5. The disqualified men still attended the BCCI meetings openly, playing a leading role in attempt to get the Indian Team boycott the Champions Trophy. The illegalities happening in the committee were widely reported by the press and media but it was neglected by the COA. The COA did not bring this issue to the notice of the court.
6. Ramachandra Guha questions the negligible pay of domestic cricketers in comparison to the International Cricketers. Guha mentions that some cricketers make their living through Ranji cricket rather than IPL. More emphasis should be given to their financial security for the betterment of Indian Cricket.
7. Ramachandra Guha states that there is lack of senior most and respected male cricketers in the committee. The committee refused his proposal to include Javagal Srinath in the committee.
8. Ramchandra Guha Added, in few of the decisions taken by the committee, all the members of the COA were not brought into the loop.
– by Shraddha Kejriwal
