Date:01/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/01/stories/2005120103871000.htm

Opinion - Editorials

A liberating change at the helm

Union Agriculture Minister and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Sharad Pawar's emphatic victory in the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) election has ushered in a liberating change. His nine-vote margin of victory over Haryana's Ranbir Singh Mahendra ends Kolkata businessman Jagmohan Dalmiya's stranglehold on India's cricket administration. The winning team campaigned on a promise to be different from the previous regime, essentially by turning professional. After becoming President, the experienced politician who has an impressive track record of promoting kabbadi, wrestling, kho-kho, and cricket in western India reiterated the need to remodel the BCCI's constitution, strengthen the Board's foundation, and bring transparency to its working. Mr. Pawar also underscored the need to maintain excellent relations with all of Indian cricket's stakeholders and build modern stadiums round the country. Most heartening was his promise of non-interference in matters relating to cricket, particularly team selection. Cricket administration in India has been plagued by power struggles and a culture of sycophancy and factionalism. A rotation policy is used to determine the venues for international matches; while this can be justified on the ground that every part of India needs a chance, there is no logic behind the quirkish scheduling of matches during monsoons.

It will be a disservice not to recognise Mr. Dalmiya's contributions as a sports administrator: he ventured out in new directions and helped make the BCCI financially strong. But the later Dalmiya reign was noted for its autocratic style of management, its divisiveness and manipulation, and its non-transparency. Mr. Pawar's style of functioning promises to be quite different: taking colleagues in the BCCI committee into confidence, respecting cricket expertise, and delegating authority while keeping an eye on the big picture. As MCA chief, Mr. Pawar is credited with solving, in less than half a decade, a boxful of troubles and taking major initiatives to develop infrastructure. His dream project is a state-of-the-art cricketing facility at the Bandra-Kurla Complex, which will be ready by the first quarter of 2007. The three areas that need the new BCCI chief's immediate attention are (i) the question of five-year television rights, which is complicated by a slew of court cases, (ii) player contracts, and (iii) team sponsorship. The longer-term challenges are development at the grassroots, improving pitches for domestic competition, and modernising facilities in cricket stadiums for players, the public, and the media. Mr. Dalmiya saw to it that the Board's coffers overflowed; it's up to Mr. Pawar to ensure the money is well spent. The new BCCI regime is fortunate in having an opportunity to implement its agenda for change at a time Indian cricket is on the upswing. It has an upstanding captain of great cricketing character and a splendid coach with original ideas to team up with. It must seize the moment.