Promises

BCCI released a statement after Working Committee meeting. We will post the statement here in full and keep this post in a prominent location on this blog. We can then go back to the statement in a year's time (if we are still blogging) to see how BCCI followed up on their promises.

1. With a view to strengthening domestic cricket, efforts will be made to ensure that all Test / ODI Cricketers play Irani, Duleep, Challenger and some Ranji Trophy Matches.

If followed upon, this is a very good idea. For the Test/ODI players to participate in domestic cricket, the domestic cricket schedule will have to revised. Will it happen? It will be easy to monitor this.

2. Every Association will be directed to prepare fast and lively wickets for domestic tournaments.

Good idea but we have heard this several times in the past. Let's see what happens this time around.

3. The BCCI will do away with home and away rotation and allot venues for Irani Trophy, Duleep Trophy, Deodhar Trophy, Ranji Trophy semi-finals and finals and one-day all-India knockout.

Moving along.

4. It was decided that all affiliated units should start their own state academies by April 2009. These academies would be linked to the National Cricket Academy for the purpose of uniformity in coaching.

A very good idea but why 2009? Why not a little bit sooner? It probably takes some time to set up a cricket academy. But if things go to form, this idea will be forgotten very soon.

5. It was decided to scrap the present zonal representation in the senior and junior selection committees. BCCI will appoint selectors on a full time basis based upon the eligibility criteria which would include stature as a player, selection experience etc. They will be remunerated suitably and appointed for a two-year term. The BCCI will take steps to propose necessary amendments to the Constitution to give effect to the above decision.

An excellent idea but if one reads the statement, nothing will come to pass till about a year. Will take steps? When? We really hope this comes to pass but if the past record is anything to go by, this too will be forgotten. For, if the zonal selectors are removed from the picture how will Mr. Pawar's coterie get the votes it needs to stay in power?

6. Regular and frequent Under-19 and India A tours to Australia / England / New Zealand / South Africa / West Indies will be undertaken.

Another excellent idea. Should be easy to monitor.

7. The Working Committee has directed the Selection Committee to send a young team to Bangladesh under an experienced captain. The selection committee, after discussions has appointed Rahul Dravid as captain for India's tour to Bangladesh, Ireland and England.

Young team to Bangladesh is a very good idea. If we had to guess, Ganguly, Agarkar, and Bhajji at a minimum will be "rested" for this tour.

8. BCCI will appoint a permanent manager for the Indian team for a two-year term. The Board will also appoint a permanent Media Manager for a two- year term.

Well...BCCI will have to appoint a permanent manager and will do so but the Media Manager is another matter altogether. The lethargy of BCCI is world famous (BCCI doesn't even have a website) so how soon they will hire a Media Manager is something to watch for.

9. Notice will be issued to Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh under Rule 38 of the Memorandum and the Rules and Regulations of the Board asking for an explanation for their comments made to the media.

Well. What can one say? Should one read into this? Has Sachin Tendulkar now become mortal or is it all just eyewash to appease the crowds?

10. Working Committee approved the Performance-based Payment to the players and decided to do away with the present gradation for Retainership. Apart from the payment, the following points would form a part of the contract.

A player will endorse not more than 3 sponsors / products No Sponsor can contract more than 2 players. The players will not be allowed to do any sponsor-related events 15 days before the tour and also during the tour. Before every tour, all the contracted players have to undergo a fitness test and only those who fulfill the benchmarks will be considered for selection. No player shall have exclusive contracts with electronic or print media. Only the captain can write a column or talk to the media but not exclusively. The players shall take prior approval of the Board before signing any endorsement contract and will submit a copy of the agreement to the Board. All the players shall submit a copy of the existing contracts with sponsors to the Board. All the players will have to play a stipulated number of domestic matches when not playing for India. In the event of injury to the player, the Board will compensate him the match fees that he would have earned for a maximum period of six months.

A lot of people we know are happy that the BCCI decided to cut down on the endorsements of the players and also negated the contracts. We are not so sure that endorsements and contracts are the reason for the loss in the world cup. We were surprised to hear that this was one of the things the former captains suggested to the Board. Maybe it is a good idea but this looks a lot like an employer, seeing that the public opinion is against their employees, is trying to affirm their superiority over the employees. As a principle, we are against this. Nothing to do but wait and see how this pans out.

11. The Working Committee decided to form a Cricket Advisory committee consisting of the following ex - captains: Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar, MAK Pataudi, Chandu Borde, Ravi Shastri, Krish Srikkanth and S Venkataraghavan under the Chairmanship of President [Sharad Pawar] and will include all the Office Bearers.

What is the purpose of this committee?

12. The working committee appointed Ravi Shastri as Cricket Manager for the India's tour to Bangladesh. It was further decided that Venkatesh Prasad will be the bowling coach and Robin Singh, the fielding coach for the tour.

Excellent. Finally! India has a bowling coach.

News Round-Up

Harsha's father used to give "tuition" for free. 6:00 AM sharp. Good to know. Okay then, see you in the morning Mr. Bhogle. Frivolity aside, he raises some good points about BCCI but we are not all that sure about "benevolent" dictators. As the old saying goes: Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. We don't trust one person running the show without any checks and balances. As another old saying goes: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Mukul Kesavan's take on GC's resignation. Good post. Might be worth your while if you are not too busy. This bit makes complete sense to us:

"It can be plausibly argued that the problem with Chappell wasn't his candour, it was his propensity to intrigue. Several cricket journalists I've read or spoken to (and this includes Chappell's protagonists) testify to his habit of sending sms messages to journalists leaking his views on players, selection and policy. The players who disliked him complain about how manipulative he was. They might be wrong and self-interested but it's odd that Indian journalists and commentators should find the stereotype of the straight-talking Australian and the truth-denying Indian easier to credit than the chorus of allegations that Chappell's preferred mode for communicating with the media was the modern equivalent of harem whispers.
Just as odd is the 'balanced' view that equates criticism of Chappell and his methods with a willful blindness to the structural problems of Indian cricket. I find no difficulty in holding in my head (at the same time) two related but distinct ideas: 1) that the BCCI presides over a mess and 2) that Chappell is a terrible coach. The need for structural reform and the necessity of making the best of what you currently have aren't contradictory goals..."

Brett Lee is planning to terrorize everybody. Not with his bowling but with his singing.

"The move into music and films hasn't just dropped into his lap; it's been in the making for the past six years. The first song was just scratching the surface. It wasn't a huge revenue-raiser in itself . . . (but) it was part of a broader plan to focus a lot of our energies on the music and movie business on the subcontinent. It's not just about cutting a record. It's far broader and longer term than that."

Just kill us now.

BCCI's schedule for the next two days:

Day One
10.30 am: Captain, coach, manager, selection committee chairman Dilip Vengsarkar to meet BCCI officials to discuss on the World Cup debacle. Coach and manager to submit reports.
3.30 pm: Board officials meet other Team India players, including Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly.
Day Two
Working Committee meeting:
To discuss on improvement of the domestic structure, make it on the lines of Australia’s Sheffield Shield, improve playing conditions.
Discussion on players’ contracts, revising them specifically to be performance-based.
To discuss with former captains of India on complete revision of the country’s cricketing profile and appoint an interim coach.
To discuss on Zee’s bid to launch the Indian Cricket League.

Another interesting quote from the article:

“Don’t expect a lot of decisions to be taken. But do expect a lot of talking to be done. It is a two-day meeting and not just a two-day affair.”

Okay. No decisions and lot of talking. Have to remember that. What does the third sentence mean? "Two-day meeting and not just a two-day affair." We have no idea. Please let us know if you know what it means, my dear readers.