Champions Trophy Pull Out is to Save Indian Cricket: BCCI Source

With the BCCI members set to decide on whether India will indeed pullout of the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy at the Special General Meeting on Sunday, the Committee of Administrators — appointed by the Supreme Court — have informed them that the decision has to be unanimous else the COA will be forced to move court. But the BCCI is adamant and says that the COA is welcome to move the Supreme Court.

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Pulling out of the Champions Trophy definitely looks like the best option under the current circumstances and if the COA feels that it will move court, they are more than welcome to because the best interest of Indian cricket is in our mind. Let the SC decide post that and we have no issues," he clarified.

Asked about COA’s clear statement that a pullout would need a unanimous decision at the SGM, the official said: “This is what baffles me. Till now, all decision were taken on the basis of majority. How come only this time round it is about a unanimous call and not a vote by majority?

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“In the point 10 of the letter sent by the COA to the state units, it is written that it is extremely unlikely that ICC and other cricket boards will agree to the amount/share envisaged under financial model that was put in place in 2014. But then, when did we ask for the old share? We only wanted a higher share than what has been proposed so that both parties come out happy. But sadly, that did not happen.

“Going into the meeting, the BCCI representative had clearly told the other ICC board members that there are two ways to solve the issue, take a soft stand and discuss the problems or take a hard stand and stand ground. The ICC chairman clearly preferred the second way of solving the problem."

The official said: “Firstly, sustainment is no issue for the Indian board. And secondly, we had even during the meeting made it clear that let us postpone the discussion on the revenue model for two months, let the Champions Trophy end and then we can happily go back and discuss the matter. But some adamant people made it an ego battle.

“Now, we cannot really let them trample us just because we are involved in a mess of our own with the daily functioning of the board. Is the money coming to the accounts today? It is an eight-year process. So what was the hurry? Could we not have waited till June to come to a conclusion on this? Why is it that our stance is being considered as an attempt to jeopardise the Champions Trophy when we were the ones to ask them to wait for the tournament to get over before taking a call on this?"

“At the end of the day, it is about our country and the interest of Indian cricket which cannot be sacrificed under any circumstance. If we let the ICC dictate terms today, it will set the precedent and our board will be treated like dirt in the future and that is not something we can allow.

“We even have had unofficial meetings with a couple of present and ex-cricketers and they too have shown support and said that the best interest of Indian cricket should be kept in mind," he said.

Asked about the indirect direction from the COA to not pullout from the Champions Trophy, he said: “They are here only till the Lodha committee guidelines are put in place. But Indian cricket will go on for generations and it is the members who wil have to face the brunt if we take a light stand today. We cannot take a stand thinking of just the present obstacles."