Challenges aplenty as new boss seeks to convince critics
MUMBAI: Despite holding the most high-profile office in world cricket, it’s a surprise that Shashank Manohar still managed to steer clear of controversies that the job of the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India inadvertently brings along.
In Vidarbha cricket circles, the famous line on the lawyer-turned-cricket administrator is that ‘statures don’t daunt him nor do the challenges’. They call him a straightforward person, and he will need all these skills to steer the Indian Board from the troubled waters it is in now. Talk to any Vidarbha Cricket Association official and they will tell you that he doesn’t shy away from calling a spade a spade. This particular trait came to the fore again on Sunday when he addressed his first media conference at the start of his second innings as BCCI president.
His first innings — from 2008 to 2011 — was marked by unprecedented success of the India team. The Test team registered great results, not only at home but the boys started doing well away from home to become the No 1 ranked team. The icing on the cake was the 2011 World Cup win at home.
However, off the field, in the Board’s corridors, the organisation made headlines for a lot of wrong reasons. Not everyone who has seen him function from close quarters is convinced about his administrative skills. Critics say Manohar’s team not only failed to stop the scandals in the IPL, it also didn’t devote the time and energy that the president’s office should have. “He didn’t have much expertise in administration. Srinivasan as secretary used to dominate meetings. He (Manohar) was mostly in a hurry to get through
CRITICS SAY MANOHAR’S TEAM NOT ONLY FAILED TO STOP SCANDALS IN IPL, IT ALSO DIDN’T DEVOTE THE TIME AND ENERGY THAT THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE SHOULD HAVE
the meetings,” a BCCI insider, not having allegiance to any faction, told HT.
As a result, Srinivasan got used to getting his way in almost everything, the consequences of which were there to see later.
Manohar was a member of the constitution review committee when the amendment to the BCCI’s constitution — to allow its office-bearers to have a stake in the IPL — was done, which led to the controversy over Srinivasan’s conflict of interest.
Experts also question the wisdom of other decisions under his leadership, especially pertaining to action against some IPL teams. The decision to terminate Kochi Tuskers Kerala backfired when the court-appointed arbitrator asked the BCCI to pay the owners of the franchise R550 crore apart from interest for four years.
One of the points against Manohar is his aversion to embrace technology. On Sunday, he admitted he didn’t know how to operate a computer while defending himself against allegations that he exchanged mails with the suspended former Board official Lalit Modi.
As he pads up for his second innings in the most high-profile office in world cricket, apart from restoring the Board’s image, the challenge for Manohar will be to prove his administrative qualities.