The Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Thursday directed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to immediately convene a selection committee meeting to pick the squad for the Champions Trophy.
The BCCI hasn’t submitted the team for the Champions Trophy following its dispute with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over the new financial and governance model. The last date for sending the team was April 25. The BCCI was to take a decision on India’s participation in the May 7 Special General Meeting.
However, CoA made it clear it was time to end the uncertainty and the negativity surrounding India’s participation in the Champions’ Trophy, putting emphasis on players’ interests.
“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 wrote to BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Chaudhary.
“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 BCCI appears to have lost sight of the fact that it attained a pre-eminent position in the ICC not by a combative approach but by building consensus and ensuring a positive image including by helping other cricket boards in their time of need.
The CoA also questioned the need to send a legal notice to ICC when the matter was not placed before the general body.
“There is no reason why any notice should be issued to the ICC before the members of BCCI have had the opportunity to discuss the matter and take a well-considered decision as mentioned in our email dated 3rd May 2017. We do not believe that BCCI’s legal rights will be prejudiced in any manner if a notice is not issued to the ICC prior to the SGM. A decision of such magnitude needs to be taken after following due process and the correct forum,” he said.
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