Just in: The Supreme Court of India has asked BCCI president N Srinivasan to resign as the first step towards a fair investigation into the IPL corruption scandal. This is a much needed announcement.
Here is my replug of a blog which I had published on my website during the IPL spot fixing incident newsbreak. There are some harsh words in here.
S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan, Vindoo Singh, Gurunath Meiyappan, the list goes on and on. Mr President’s 3 rotten eggs theory hasn’t worked. Surely, it can’t get any worse for Indian cricket.
BCCI: Board of Corrupt Crooked Individuals seems to be the apt description of a board managed by people who are in no way related to the sport and who have never in their lives even held a bat or ball. This is the only place where there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies. Even a chameleon will bow down to the fickle nature of these corrupt officials. Late Mr Tiger Pataudi, one of the finest players to have captained India had disdained the BCCI over the usage of the word “control” in its name. We can look at other cricket boards or sporting organizations to see whether there is a similar word used in the description and we will find none.
Coming back to the present situation and to the man of the moment: BCCI’s current honorary (self-proclaimed) president. Having been introduced to cricket administration by Mr AC Muthiah, former TNCA and BCCI president, the current president backstabbed his idol and mentor and badgered his way to the most powerful post of Indian cricket. A few people do say he has done wonders for Tamil Nadu and Indian cricket and its cricketers but for their clarification, I would like to mention that it was India Cements which during his father’s reign sponsored cricketers. Those were the early days when BCCI didn’t have enough money.
On the issue of Chennai Super Kings and India Cements conflict-of-interest, the President says and I quote, “I happen to be a shareholder of the company which owns CSK.” Oh come on Mr President, who are you fooling? India Cements was founded by his father and he only “happens” to be a major shareholder according to him. On Gurunath Meiyappan, he says, “He is just a cricket enthusiast.” If this is true, then tomorrow I will walk into the Mumbai Indians dressing room, sit in the dugout and get involved in the team discussions based on my profile of being a cricket enthusiast. CSK and India cements give the title of Team Principal to Gurunath Meiyappan only to revoke it at the time he got arrested and then describe him only as an “honorary” member. Gurunath himself has self-proclaimed being a team owner/team principal of CSK in his interviews and on his Twitter handle (which later got removed). Lie, after lie, after lie. Mr President says in a TV interview, “I always follow the rules and will continue to do so.” Rules, Mr President? Which rules you follow when you are holding a BCCI post and simultaneously owning a team? Which rules do you follow in dismissing Mohinder Amarnath when the entire selection committee wanted a new Indian captain? From gagging players, selectors and commentators to rigging auctions to benefit his own team and to appointing his own people in the three-member probe panel to look into his son-in-law’s betting investigation, the current BCCI President and the BCCI itself is a farce.
Cricket is a game played by 11 players on the field but for us Indians, whenever our team steps on to the field, it is not 11 but more than a billion people playing. Our country has the most passionate fans in the world, and it shows in the emotion with which we attach ourselves to the game, the way we worship our players and the way we pray for them. Cricket’s popularity in this country is only due to these wonderful fans and not in the wildest dreams due to the few people who run the sport. Any post in the BCCI should be regarded and treated as an honorary position and should be represented in such a way that the fans are proud of it.
Today, I, like many others, feel ashamed to be an Indian cricket fan. It is not only the BCCI’s credibility but our credibility also at stake. I sincerely hope that the shambles that Indian cricket is currently in is cleansed out. I would like to request the BCCI officials to treat their positions with respect and take decisions to benefit the future of Indian cricketers and fans and not treat it as another post to showcase their power and ego.
Finally, when Mr President says that he is being bulldozed by the media to get thrown out of his chair, he should listen to the 60,000 fans booing him when his name was announced after the IPL final. For the benefit of Indian cricket, I request Mr President to keep aside his ego and resign on moral grounds and if that doesn’t suffice, then I beg him to just resign.
From an Indian cricket fan: enough is enough.
My website: www.ohmysachin.com