Why the Committee of Administrators really needs to get its act together
It seems, the CoA (Committee of Administrators) was waiting for the onset of monsoon to wake up and tell the world they are “geared up” to fulfil the job which they had been mandated for by the Supreme Court.
Over the last few weeks, most talk relating to Indian cricket had centred around Anil Kumble’s exit and who would replace him. It seemed as if there was nothing more important than the coach issue.
Perhaps, it needed a gentle tongue lashing from Justice RM Lodha that the CoA had actually strayed away from their main job. Instead of focusing on “fixing” the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and state units, the CoA had started diplomacy talks with recalcitrant officials.
It is close to six months since the time the CoA had been constituted by the apex court. Initially, one got the impression that the members of the CoA would burn midnight oil and clean up the cricketing establishment.
Nothing like that happened and like a stray bullet missing the target, the CoA was diverting its attention to other issues. The CoA was dealing with state cricket associations in doling out money for hosting Test matches and ODIs. This was topped by conduct of the IPL by various venues, where the host venues needed money for it and was cleared by the CoA.
To be sure, with each passing day in over the last five months, an impression was created as if the CoA was being sympathetic towards the BCCI and state units. There was no tough posturing from the CoA.
Sensing that the CoA was not pushing them hard, the BCCI succeeded in diverting attention from main governance issues and managed to hoodwink people at home. The latest attempt at forming one more committee to look into the Justice Lodha panel recommendations is laughable.
As Justice Lodha said recently, the BCCI had been given enough time to appear and argue in the court. Delaying tactics were so successful, the BCCI office bearers have been dragged it on.
Knowing fully well that two BCCI officer bearers — Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke — had been removed, the present BCCI officials continued to play smart games.
The wake-up call of Saturday, where Vinod Rai has talked of being unfazed by BCCI’s delaying tactics should have come earlier. Over a month ago, outgoing CoA member Ramachandra Guha had set the cat among the pigeons when he spoke of star culture in Indian cricket.
His exit should have alerted the remaining CoA officials. They continued to remain inert even as the BCCI officials were happy to enjoy themselves at home and in England during the Champions Trophy.
The CoA needs to now swing into action. And that’s easier said than done. Barring two or three state cricket associations, most of the others from Delhi to the southern-most state in India, and from east to west have done nothing to amend their constitution.
By now it should have changed after which elections should have been conducted. Take the example of the DDCA, there is an observer looking after day to day matters. The whole place needs a shake-up and nothing has happened to Delhi cricket’s most vicious place.
Meanwhile, there are former BCCI office bearers like Niranjan Shah who are now asking why officials over 70 should not be part of the apex body! The lust for power is unending, and making comparisons with how there is no age limit for the President of India is laughable. On Saturday, Vinod Rai said they were not going to get into the issue of finding India’s next coach. Knowing that a body called the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) exists, the CoA never should have got involved with the matter.
How the CoA, which has luminaries in it mixed up priorities is hard to fathom. For its part, the BCCI officials have lost nothing. They still smile and someone like N.Srinivasan still comes to BCCI meetings with a swagger and takes on people, media included.
If the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi could set the GST rolling so smoothly, what stopped the CoA from getting its act together?
The CoA says it will be filing a status report to the Supreme Court on the BCCI. This was just not needed had they worked on the job which they had been named for. Wastage of such precious time could have been easily avoided.
At least now, the CoA needs to lay down a timetable and tell cricket lovers how soon they can cleanse a national sports body which has reached putrefaction stage!
(Courtesy: Mail Today)