In a strong letter to the acting BCCI president, secretary and treasurer, Ganguly — president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) — has expressed his “deep sense of worry” over the downward spiralling state of affairs in Indian cricket officialdom. According to Ganguly, “Indian cricket is in danger” and urgent steps need to be taken to rectify the situation.
“Indian cricket with its massive following has been built over the years of (sic) hard work from superb administrators and greatest of cricketers ... I at the present moment, think it’s in danger. I hope people are listening,” Ganguly wrote.
Ganguly’s words are likely to increase the pressure on the CoA, whose members Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji have differed over the appropriate course of action after the allegations against CEO Rahul Johri in the wake of the #MeToo movement. CoA head Vinod Rai has instituted an independent committee to probe allegations against Johri, while the committee’s other member Diana Edulji wants the BCCI CEO to be sacked immediately.
Ganguly also revealed his displeasure at the manner in which Ravi Shastri was appointed coach after captain Kohli’s very public tiff with Shastri’s predecessor Kumble.
Ganguly said in the letter, a copy of which is with TOI, “I write to you all with the deep sense of fear as to where Indian cricket administration is going. Having played the game for a long period of time, where our lives were ruled by winning and losing, and the image of Indian cricket was of paramount importance to us (sic). We wake up looking at how our cricket is faring even now...
“But with a deep sense of worry, (I used the word worry), I beg to state that the way things have gone in the last couple of years, the authority of Indian cricket to the world is on the way down. I don’t know how far it’s true, but the recent reports of harassment has really made the BCCI look very poorly (sic). More so, the way it has been handled. The CoA committee from four has come down to two, and now the two seems to be divided,” he lamented.
“Cricketing rules are changed in the middle of a season, which has never been heard of. Decisions made in committees are turned around with complete disrespect, my experience in the matter of coach selection was appalling (the less said the better),” wrote Ganguly.
Ganguly also said there was no clarity on who headed the BCCI. “One of my friends who is involved in matters relating to functioning of board asked me who should they go to. I had no answer. I had to ask who should I invite for an international game from a particular association as I did not know what was going on,” he wrote.
from Times of India https://ift.tt/2Q8x7kf
