Sourav likely in FTP working group, questions on CEO inclusion

The working group of the BCCI on ICC Futures Tours & Programme (FTP) will have former India captain Sourav Ganguly in all likelihood, while CEO Rahul Johri will only be included if COA puts pressure on the officebearers.

Last Monday, the BCCI general body decided to form a working group that will study the new FTP, where the Indian team plays 81 matches at home across three formats during the five-year-cycle from 2019-2023. The working group is expected to have three principal office-bearers (acting president CK Khanna, acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary, treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhry) and the members that they will be co-opting. There is a possibility that each zone will be represented by a member. Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Ganguly is one name that every officebearer wants in the panel.

"Both acting secretary and treasurer believe that Ganguly should be included as this is a purely cricket related issue. A cricketer of his stature giving inputs on FTP would be a great thing," a senior official, who was present at the SGM told PTI. However, it is learnt that officebearers are not exactly on the same page whether to include Johri in the working group as a permanent member or summon him as a special invitee if need be, so that they don't incur the wrath of COA chief Vinod Rai.

"We all know what happened when Johri was told to leave one of the SGM meetings earlier this year. The three office bearers were show caused by the COA. While it is not hidden that the relationship between CEO and office-bearers have been frosty to say the least," the senior official said. When one of the office bearers was asked the question, he said: "In any case, whatever are the findings of the working group, it will be apprised to the general body and the CEO is a part of that body. Why does he require to be a part of this working group? However if need be, we will call him for the meeting."

The new FTP has India playing 306 days of international cricket in the next five years compared to 390 that was during the previous fiveyear cycle. While number of playing days is set to decrease, the increase in number of matches due to increase in T20 Internationals will ensure bigger TV revenue for the already richest cricket body in the world.