BCCI Positions

BCCIs recent spate of decisions and comments have thrown some light on where it wishes to take the game and what are the factors that influence it. It would be instructive to take a look at five of its recent policy statements or actions.

1. Flouts the ICC by not inviting PCB to the world cup organizing committee meetings. This is after it forced its agenda through at the ICC. It is not even following the ICCs (own) decision.

2. Turns protectionist by recommending that foreign players be eliminated from its domestic cricket.

http://www.cricinfo.com/india/content/story/413286.html

3. While it may dictate ICC positions and still not listen to ICC it is all ears to Shiv Sena. Would this be termed giving into terrorism?

http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/BCCI-to-reconsider-Deodhar-Trophys-fate-after-Sena-threats/articleshow/4738283.cms

http://www.stabroeknews.com/2009/sports/07/04/indian-party-threatens-ipl-games-over-domestic-event/

Bal Thakaray was able to stop games in India before by threatening BCCI with dire consequences for holding them. If this is what the BCCI gives in to how does it expect to hold the world cup matches if certain elements from within might not want it to hold certain games.

4. Does not include Pakistan or Bangladesh on its FTP draft in essence taking a stance harder than any of the two governments involved. Indo-Pak relations go through their ups and downs but the governments have not banned the "other side" from visiting and even when they have restricted their own teams it is on a case by case basis. The relationship has its swings but even the governments have never gone on to plan the exclusion of the other side over decades which is essentially what the BCCIs FTP draft effectively plans to do. No this has more to do with the BCCIs monopolistic attitude than its stated excuse of the deteriorating relationship between the two governments. It has more to do with keeping what it considers its satellite boards in orbit around it.

5. The level of discourse it has shown by coming up with the dilution of concept. Who is the great thinker who suffered the great pangs of the dilation of conception for this masterpiece?

Points 2 and 4 together infact show that BCCI is not interested in the expansion of the game which is the one of the stated ambitions of the ICC. It is a continuation of the MCC thinking of the past. It seeks to monoplize power at the expense of expansion.

This is a contest of the haves and have-nots or what the PCB calls the cartel of the big four against the smaller boards. I had written in January that this is where things are headed.
http://voiceandview.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-old-fashioned-divide.html