Lalit Modi and N Srinivasan sought to play down reports of a rift between them but there’s no getting away from the fact that the commissioner of the Indian Premier League and the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India are on collision course.
Modi, who is also on the Tour Programmes and Fixtures committee of the board, the body that oversees allocation of matches to venues and other aspects pertaining to their conduct, is miffed at how the secretary’s office functions.
The incident in question concerned appointment of match observers for the seven-match home ODI series against Australia that took place in October. At the time, Modi used surprisingly harsh language in a letter to Srinivasan.
In his letter, a copy of which is with the Hindustan Times, Modi asked why he, as chairman of the fixtures committee, was not consulted before observers were appointed. “I should have been taken into confidence. You further go on to explain that as the matter did not come up in the last meeting, the decision was made by you in consultation with the President,” he wrote.
“My question to you is why did it not come up in the meeting as you were the convenor and also the person who made the agenda and why the same was not listed on the agenda? If for any reason the same was missed - we could have done it thru (through) a conf (conference) call or circulation with the members.”
{{/usCountry}}“My question to you is why did it not come up in the meeting as you were the convenor and also the person who made the agenda and why the same was not listed on the agenda? If for any reason the same was missed - we could have done it thru (through) a conf (conference) call or circulation with the members.”
{{/usCountry}}Modi also slammed Srinivasan’s method of functioning and that of his office. “I guess to you Committees are fruitless in having in the first place, as decisions are being taken on an adhoc (ad hoc) basis and it is your office who decide (s) one and all issues without even the courtesy of keeping the Chairman of the particular committee informed.”
“You may have your ways of working as the Honorary Secretary of the board in this manner, but please record my decent (sic) on this issue for whatever it is worth, and table my views as part of the next Working Committee and Committee meeting.”
Asked about this letter, Modi only said “not true”. Srinivasan did not want to comment on specific internal correspondence of the board.
A top functionary of the board, who also received the letter, confirmed its authenticity and said the issue “will be discussed when the fixtures committee meets at the end of December.”