The Asian Age

Voting rights, Kumble issue may be raised Thakur leaps to Kohli’s defence SRINI ATTENDS MEETING

- — PTI

| BCCI SGM Mumbai, June 25: Anil Kumble’s resignatio­n as chief coach may come up for discussion at the BCCI’s special general meeting on Monday where the primary agenda will be ‘One State One Vote’ and the reinstatem­ent of a five-member selection committee.

The Kumble issue is not on the agenda for the SGM but it is likely to be raised by members.

“The members may ask acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary and CEO Rahul Johri as to what was the situation that led to Anil Kumble stepping down from the chief coach’s post,” a state unit official said.

“It’s not always required to be on the agenda. Some issues can be raised on floor with permission of the chair,” he said.

The state units on Sunday met the CoA in two batches. The issues pertaining to the Lodha Committee reforms was once again discussed.

It is learnt that all state units are on the same page on the ‘One State One Vote’ issue. The body is likely to decide that while new members must be included, units like Mumbai, Vidarbha, Saurashtra, Baroda should not lose their voting rights.

The other issues include reinstatem­ent of a five-member selection committee as it will be impossible for three to track domestic matches.

Jatin Paranjpe and Mumbai, June 25: Ousted BCCI president N. Srinivasan on Sunday attended the meeting of various state associatio­ns with the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administra­tors.

Srinivasan, who represente­d Tamil Nadu Cricket Associatio­n, walked into the BCCI headquarte­rs here this morning at around 10.45 am and came out of the meeting by 12.30 pm.

However, he did not speak to the waiting media.

Former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah also attended the meeting along with Srinivasan.

Former India skipper and Cricket Associatio­n of Bengal Sourav Ganguly came for the meeting in the afternoon.

On Saturday, CoA head

Gagan Khoda were removed from the panel for not having played Tests.

The ‘three-year cooling off period’ is another issue. Current Cricket Associatio­n of Bengal president Sourav Ganguly may have to go in for a “cooling off” if it is implemente­d.

For a few members like former BCCI president N. Srinivasan and secretary Niranjan Shah, the age cap of 70 years is an issue.

In fact, Srinivasan was present during CoA’s Vinod Rai had clarified that it was not their mandate to decided the eligibilit­y or ineligibil­ity of the people attending the meeting.

TNCA’s executive committee nominated Srinivasan to be the associatio­n’s representa­tive at the meet. meeting with the first batch.

“Vinod Rai told us that the General Body is the supreme body in the BCCI and he is hopeful that right steps will be taken at the SGM. Mr Srinivasan was also present but he only listened to the discussion­s,” the official said.

“Srinivasan said that if he has to put across his viewpoint, he will do so at an appropriat­e forum,” the official said. Hamirpur, June 25: Virat Kohli is being “unreasonab­ly targetted” for Anil Kumble’s resignatio­n as India’s chief cricket coach, feels former BCCI president Anurag Thakur, who said the current Board setup should answer for the unsavoury episode. Kumble stepped down at the end of the Champions Trophy earlier this month after acknowledg­ing a rift with skipper Kohli, who has refused to divulge just what led to the fallout. “Virat is being unreasonab­ly targetted, I think this discussion should stop. Virat has the ability to take Indian cricket to new heights in the next 10 years. This is not the first time that a cricketer is being targetted. In the past too, captains and former captains have been targetted,” Thakur said. Thakur had to quit as Board president after being ordered by the Supreme Court. The Lok Sabha MP, now heading the Himachal Pradesh Olympic Committee, said the BCCI under him would have handled the situation better than the current setup. “The previous BCCI set-up was more adept at handling such situations. People should give the Board credit that it honoured the Cricket Advisory Committee’s recommenda­tion but also gave Kumble only a one-year contract so that the Board was free to take a call if there were to be any problems,” he explained.

Thakur said the BCCI top brass had a lot to answer for in the current controvers­y.

“We never allowed such things to be leaked. When Kumble was offered a oneyear contract, nobody said that they had any objection to it,” he said.

“In the 7-8 months of Kumble’s contract when we were in charge, nobody spoke of any problem between them (Kumble and Kohli). Questions should be asked from those who are running the Board now as to how these circumstan­ces have arisen,” he added.

Virat is being unreasonab­ly targetted. I think this discussion should stop. Virat has the ability to take Indian cricket to new heights in the next 10 years. In the past too, captains and former captains have been targetted.

 ??  ?? —ANURAG THAKUR, Former BCCI president Virat Kohli
—ANURAG THAKUR, Former BCCI president Virat Kohli
 ??  ?? N. Srinivasan
N. Srinivasan
 ??  ?? Anurag Thakur
Anurag Thakur

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