BCCI turns to Justice Katju to counter Lodha committee suggestions

MUMBAI: The Indian Cricket Board has turned to former Supreme Court judge, Markandey Katju, to “advise and guide” as it grapples with the task of implementing the

MUMBAI: The Indian Cricket Board has turned to former Supreme Court judge, Markandey Katju, to “advise and guide” as it grapples with the task of implementing the sweeping reforms recommended by the Justice RM Lodha committee and ratified by the Supreme Court.

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The BCCI working committee met here on Tuesday and decided to form a panel headed by the outspoken former judge with three other lawyers, including the board lawyer, Abhinav Mukherjee.

The panel was appointed after fearing that ‘technical and legal issues’ would crop up in the future over the large-scale changes that need to be made in the BCCI and its state units. “This panel will be a single point interface for the BCCI to interact with the Justice Lodha committee as well as advise and guide the BCCI,” it said in a statement.

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It is learnt that the idea to form the panel was suggested by Mumbai Cricket Association chief, Sharad Pawar. The working committee felt that the Katju panel would be in a better position to explain the board’s views and difficulties in implementing the Lodha panel recommendations.

Several state units raised concerns and sought clarifications regarding the implementations of the recommendations. They have been advised to prepare their list of concerns. They will be taken up at the Special General Meeting to be held in New Delhi on Friday.

Katju, who was also the Chief Justice of Delhi, Madras and Allahabad high courts and was the chairman of the Press Council of India has often been in the news for his candid comments.

The senior BCCI officials are expected to meet the Lodha panel on August 9, but feel there are several complicated issues that need to be thrashed out.

Meanwhile, the Working Committee took its first step towards tapping the US market by deciding to play two Twenty20 internationals against world champions West Indies on August 27 and 28, at Florida’s Central Broward Regional Park.

BCCI president Anurag Thakur said that the US fixtures could become an annual affair. “This will be a great opportunity for cricket fans in America to watch the two champion sides in action. This will be developed into an annual cricketing event in the United States,” Thakur said in a statement.

The board has been planning the national team’s trip to the US for a while, but there were challenges over when to play the matches and who would telecast the games.

The Florida ground has hosted four international T20 matches in the past—New Zealand took on Sri Lanka in 2010, and the Kiwis played West Indies in 2012. It is also a venue for the Caribbean Premier League.