After re-think, BCCI officials to discuss Test league plan at SGM

The International Cricket Council’s (ICC) plan for Test and ODI leagues drawn up last month is unlikely to get the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) approval until after its Special General Meeting on December 1.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India officials, who met in Mumbai on Tuesday, did not merely discuss issues related to the Indian Premier League.

There were equally pressing matters to be decided on, none more important than BCCI’s participation in the ICC Test Championship to be played from 2019-2021. (Reuters)

There were equally pressing matters to be decided on, none more important than BCCI’s participation in the ICC Test Championship to be played from 2019-2021.

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The International Cricket Council (ICC) at its Auckland meeting last month had decided on a nine-team Test league and 13-team ODI league, aimed at bringing context and meaning to bilateral cricket. With the blessings of the Committee of Administrators, BCCI representatives at the meeting too gave their green signal to the plan.

However, it has met with disapproval from BCCI office-bearers. They have not rejected the plan outright, but said it had no relevance until discussed in the SGM scheduled on December 1, and the league’s impact on Indian cricket analysed.

On Tuesday, CoA members Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji met the top three BCCI office-bearers, who gave their consent for taking part in the Test Championship. However, it was decided the Future Tours Programme will be chalked out by the office-bearers as the interests of BCCI and ally Boards had to be protected.

Future series

It is learnt that treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary has been given the responsibility and he will prepare the final FTP after taking the consent of Board members with experience in this matter.

When contacted, acting BCCI president, CK Khanna, only said: “Discussion on FTP is on the agenda of the next SGM.”

An insider, explaining the broad policy the BCCI members will base the FTP on, said: “Efforts will be made to protect the home season of the BCCI, take special care to ensure our friends in the ICC get a decent deal, and at the same time the minimum requirements of the ICC Test Championship is fulfilled (each team must play six home-and-away bilateral series).”

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It is certainly not good news for ICC members who rubbed the BCCI officials the wrong way, assuming they were totally powerless in the changed equation within Indian cricket.

The CoA has called a meeting with the finance committee and certain other BCCI officials to discuss the salaries of players, coaches and support staff.