Select ICC Champions Trophy squad immediately: CoA tell BCCI

The muddle over India’s participation in the Champions Trophy has rattled the Indian team, and players now want to know when this ‘uncertainty’ will end. The Indian Express has reliably learnt that the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) head Vinod Rai recently spoke to the Indian team captain Virat Kohli and coach Anil Kumble after they sought clarity on the implications of the ICC vs BCCI wrangle that has cast a shadow on India’s participation in the tournament starting June 1.

It is learnt that Kohli and Kumble both want the Indian team to take part in the Champions Trophy to be held next month in England and expressed their keenness to get a chance to defend the title that India won four years ago.

The uncertainty is said to be hampering the Indian players’ mindset, with the IPL getting over in the next few weeks and preparations set to begin for India’s title defense. The BCCI has already missed the April 25 deadline of submitting its squad to the ICC.

It was right after speaking to the two important members of the Indian team a few days ago, that the COA issued a letter to BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary to convene a meeting of the selection committee for Champions Trophy immediately.

“It would be appropriate to make all necessary preparations for ensuring that Team India can successfully defend its title in the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 which commences on 1st June 2017. You are aware that the squad representing India at the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 was to be submitted by 25th April 2017 but the squad has not even been selected as yet. Please convene a meeting of the selection committee for selecting the squad immediately. The squad can then be submitted to the ICC without prejudice to BCCI’s legal rights,” the COA’s reply to the BCCI acting secretary said.

The BCCI will therefore pick the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy, irrespective of what happens in its fight with the ICC.

Earlier in the day, the COA directed the BCCI to select the Indian Champions Trophy squad as it disapproved the cricket board’s acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary’s missive, seeking the Administrators’ go-ahead in sending a notice to the ICC that threatened to revoke the 2014 MPA and pull out of all ICC events for the ongoing eight-year rights cycle.

‘Supportive environment’

The COA has also reminded the BCCI members to provide a “supportive environment” to the Indian team and erase uncertainties ahead of Sunday’s Special General Meeting (SGM). “We believe that any decision taken at the SGM should be predicated on the fact that India has the best team in the world today. Team India should be provided with a supportive environment to showcase Indian cricket instead of being surrounded with uncertainty and confusion. There has been more than enough negativity surrounding Team India’s participation in the ICC Champions Trophy and the sooner the same is put to rest the better.”

“The players’ interests are paramount and they must be given the best chance to prepare for, defend and retain the ICC Champions Trophy. The focus should be on enabling our team to achieve even greater heights and further laurels, which will automatically attract higher revenues,” the letter said.

A cricket board functionary, however, said the BCCI would have picked the squad in any case. “See, we want to send a notice to the ICC to cure the breach in accordance with the 2014 Members Participation Agreement (MPA). If we send the notice and in case the ICC cures the breach what will happen if we don’t have a squad ready for the Champions Trophy? The general body will take a call on our participation in the tournament, but we should also have our squad ready. The date, time and venue of the team selection will be decided by the (acting) secretary,” he told this paper.

The BCCI is peeved at its reduced revenue share of $293 million as per the ICC’s new financial model, although it has another $100 million settlement offer on the table. The 2014 model was giving the Indian cricket board a revenue share of $570 (gross) based on contribution cost.

As reported by this paper, Choudhary had written consent from over 20 BCCI affiliates to send the notice to the ICC and according to some members he should have gone ahead, pre-empting the SGM. “A 30-day notice period is mandatory to revoke the MPA and Thursday early morning was the deadline, given that India’s Champions Trophy opener is on June 4. Now the ICC will take India’s participation as a fait accompli and will initiate the indemnity clause to seek huge financial recovery if we want to pull out mid-tournament,” said an official of an East Zone association.

The BCCI’s acting secretary, however, was tied by the Supreme Court’s January 30 order that stated: “… The C.E.O. of B.C.C.I. shall report to the Committee of Administrators and the Administrators shall supervise the management of B.C.C.I.”

Courtesy : indianexpress