BCCI eyes reduction of fine

CHENNAI: Forming a committee for inputs on the Indian team’s engagements in the ICC Test and ODI championships or Future Tours Programme (FTP), playing a Test against Afghanistan in 2019 and seeking fresh legal opinion on Kochi Tuskers Kerala’s compensation claim were among the major decisions taken at the BCCI special general meeting on Monday.

Members predictably supported BCCI’s stand of not coming under the NADA umbrella for dope-testing.

On Rajasthan Cricket Association, it was decided that the body that was suspended in 2014 has to give an undertaking saying that it has severed ties with Lalit Modi. Only then will the ban be lifted.

The meeting that started at 12.30pm and lasted about two hours at New Delhi’s Taj Mansigh hotel was mostly about the FTP and Tuskers. It emerged that members have started planning how the fine to be paid to Tuskers can be reduced from `850 crore. Going by the verdict of a court-appointed arbitration panel, this is the amount BCCI has to pay for terminating the team’s IPL franchise contract for a breach in 2016.

As reported on December 11, the SGM decided to take legal recourse, instead of coughing up the entire amount. “We will seek independent opinion. Our appeal in the Mumbai High Court against the verdict is pending. Before checking the status of that, we won’t take a decision. Our in-house legal team is also working on it,” the president of a state unit, who attended the meeting, told Express.

Seen in BCCI circles as former president Shashank Manohar’s move, the decision to expel Tuskers will prove costly for the board. But the members are thinking it won’t be `550 crore, plus 18 per cent annual interest on non-payment from 2015. “It can be to the tune of `300-400 crore. That can be the difference between what we pay and what we have been asked to pay. With this kind of amount at stake, it’s better to explore legal routes,” said the head of another state association.

Afghanistan, not Pakistan

The FTP, after a presentation by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri of a programme that has an average of around 80 match days for the national team per year from 2019-23, was approved. There are no matches against Pakistan, because of uncertainty over playing against them. This does not violate rules of the proposed championships, where a team has to play six others nations.

Attending the meeting as Cricket Association of Bengal president, Sourav Ganguly raised questions about the points system in the new championships. It was decided that a committee will consider proposals that BCCI members can come up with in 15 days. Ganguly is expected to be a part of this committee. “In principle, the FTP should be finalised after this committee tables its suggestions,” said a member.
It was also announced that India will play Afghanistan’s inaugural Test, in 2019. They were scheduled to start against Australia, but BCCI wants India to be their opponents in what will be a historic game for the troubled nation, considering the relationship between the nations.

Chhattisgarh not allowed

The representative of Chhattisgarh was not allowed to attend the SGM for not being an office-bearer of the state body. Only office-bearers were eligible to take part in the meeting.

atreyo@newindianexpress.com