BCCI meet on Nov 18 to work out strategy
MUMBAI: The opposition in the Board of Control for Cricket in India has received a shot in the arm in their fight to dethrone N Srinivasan following the developments in the Supreme Court on Friday. However, they are still far from being powerful enough to upset the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association strongman’s plans of gaining re-election.
While it is certain that Srinivasan is not a unanimous choice, he is still far ahead in the number game in the BCCI setup. It is for this reason that the BCCI’s Emergent Working Committee meeting has been called on November 18. The stage will be used by Srinivasan, who will attend as the chief of the TNCA, for a show of strength apart from seeking views from the members, backing him, to chart the next course of action in light of the Supreme Court naming him in the IPL spot-fixing scandal.
The meeting will be a confidence-booster for Srinivasan, an opportunity to rally the members and reinforce his position.
The members will discuss the scheduling of its Annual General Meeting, originally scheduled for November 20, which has been postponed by four weeks after the Supreme Court denied a clean chit to Srinivasan. PROBLEMS APLENTY On his own career f ront, Srinivasan has multiple challenges to tackle: to survive the Court’s hammer and, later, to extend his reign in the BCCI president’s office.
According to insiders in his camp, at the moment, he is confident of holding all opposition at bay inside the BCCI. What has had them rattled is the Supreme Court’s axe looming over Chennai Super Kings. Hence, all the energy of his team is being channelised to draw up a strategy to save the India Cements’ Indian Premier League outfit. THE RR FACTOR What’s complicated the situation is that Rajasthan Royals is also part of the case. The fact is Royals have only survived the axe because it directly affects CSK. According to an expert, who has been part of the IPL setup since its inception, any other team would have been long scrapped.
Royals are in a bigger mess. Their players have been banned for spot-fixing and one of their co-owners, Raj Kundra, is facing allegation for betting. So it will be comparatively difficult for the BCCI not to take action against the Royals. However, if it does that, then it would become even more difficult for the BCCI to avoid penalising CSK now that the Mudgal Committee report has stated that Gurunath Meiyappan was a CSK official.
In the emergent working committee meeting, the members will have to take a call to hold the AGM and postpone the elections or postpone both. If they decide to split it, they have to approve all administrative work on November 20 and only hold elections at a later date.