‘Dhoni doesn’t deserve Grade A contract’
Sunil Gavaskar is head of a company which represents Indian players while commenting on those cricketers as part of the BCCI TV commentary panel. This is a clear conflict of interest.
Ramachandra Guha, historian and a member of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) to oversee the functioning of the BCCI, has said he was forced to resign from the panel, as the CoA was a silent spectator on conflict of interest issues regarding MS Dhoni and Sunil Gavaskar as well as being a ‘mute’ spectator to the Anil Kumble-Virat Kohli ‘rift’. Guha also pointed out the failure to treat domestic players at par with India players.
In his resignation letter to the head of CoA, Vinod Rai, Guha has also lashed out at former India captain Sunil Gavaskar, who he feels is a classic example of conflict of interest. “Sunil Gavaskar is head of a company which represents Indian cricketers while commenting on those cricketers as part of the BCCI TV commentary panel. This is a clear conflict of interest. Either he must step down/withdraw himself from PMG (Professional Management Group) completely or stop being a commentator for BCCI.
Guha, who quit within five months of being appointed a member of the CoA, said the BCCI had given preferential treatment to MS Dhoni by awarding him a Grade A contract. “Unfortunately, this superstar syndrome has distorted the system of Indian team contracts. As you will recall, I had pointed out that awarding MS Dhoni an ‘A’ contract when he had explicitly ruled himself out from all Test matches was indefensible on cricketing grounds, and sends absolutely the wrong message.
“I think, prompt and swift action on this matter is both just and necessary. CoA’s credibility and effectiveness hinges on our being able to take bold and correct decisions on such matters. The ‘superstar’ culture that afflicts the BCCI means that the more famous the player (former or present) the more leeway he is allowed in violating norms and procedures. (Dhoni was captain of the Indian team while holding a stake in a firm that represented some current India players.) This must stop – and only we can stop it,” said Guha in his letter to Rai. Guha also pointed out the “excellent” run of the India cricket team under coach Anil Kumble and the handling of his contract portrayed the Indian cricket set-up in poor light. “The way in which the contract of Anil Kumble, the current head coach of the senior team has been handled... the Indian team’s record this past season has been excellent; and even if the players garner the bulk of the credit, surely the head coach and his support staff also get some. In a system based on justice and merit, the head coach’s term would have been extended. Instead, Kumble was left hanging, and then told the post would be re-advertised.
“Clearly, the issue has been handled in an extremely insensitive and unprofessional manner by the BCCI CEO and the BCCI office-bearers, with the CoA, by its silence and inaction, unfortunately being complicit in this regard…In case due process had to be followed since Kumble’s original appointment was only for one year, why was this not done during April and May, when the IPL was on? If indeed the captain and the head coach were not getting along, why was not this attended to as soon as the Australia series was over in late March? Why was it left until the last minutes, when a major international tournament was imminent, and when the uncertainty would undermine the morale and ability to focus.”
Guha stated that conflict of interest is rampant in the state associations. “One famous former cricketer is contracted by media houses to comment on active players while serving as president of his state association.”