‘Lodha reforms need to be reviewed’

While many officials in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and state association have grumbled about the reforms suggested by Justice RM Lodha Committee, which now have to be implemented, the panel’s recommendations don’t seem to be cutting ice with a top ex-cricketer too.

On a day on which Sharad Pawar announced that he would soon resign as the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) because he is ineligible to continue as per the reforms, former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar, who would have to step down as the MCA Vice-President (he has been an office-bearer for nine years -the maximum allowed as per the new structure), couldn’t hold himself back while criticising the new rules, which would result in wiping out the entire managing committees of the state associations, besides changing the face of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) itself.

‘After studying the order, I feel that there are some points which need to be reviewed for the survival of Indian cricket because if they’re implemented in toto, it’ll be harmful for it,’ Vengsarkar, who’s been involved in cricket administration since his retirement, told TOI on Sunday .

‘If you apply the reforms retrospectively, almost 99% of the administrators in India won’t be eligible to continue in the office, and they’d have to be replaced. So, there won’t be any continuity, which is a grave issue,’ the 116-Test veteran, who is the first prominent ex-cricketer to express his disagreement with a few of the Lodha panel reforms, lamented.

Pointing out the problems which could emerge out of the one state one vote rule, which means six cricket-playing regions in west zone will now vote on a rotational basis, the 60-year-old said: ‘The elections of the BCCI’s Apex Council (which will replace the Working committee now) will be held every three years, which means one state (for eg either Maharashtra, Mumbai or Vidarbha) may end up voting again and again on behalf of Maharashtra, since the right to vote will be rotated on an yearly basis.’

‘I fail to comprehend, and beyond my imagination, that how can Mumbai be reduced to an associate member of the Board, while states like Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir and Mizoram enjoy full membership. No other state association in the world has a richer history than the MCA.

Mumbai has produced around 72 India cricketers, and clinched the Ranji Trophy 41 times,’ fumed Vengsarkar.

The former chief national selector was critical of the three-year ‘cooling off’ period, mooted by the Lodha Committee for the BCCI and state unit officials too.

‘Who’ll be interested in coming back after three years? It’s an honorary job, in which one spends time and money . There’ll be no continuity , which means if you make a decision at the end of your tenure, you won’t be around to ensure its implementation. If you find officials capable of working in this system, please go ahead and appoint them,’ he said.

Vengsarkar feels that the appointment of a CAG representative in the BCCI would put the latter in trouble with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

‘The ICC has made it clear that there shouldn’t be any government official in the BCCI,’ he pointed out.