Cream out of State cricket body

Kumble group not to seek re-election to KSCA

In a surprising turn of events, the incumbent Anil Kumble-led group has decided not to seek re-election in the upcoming elections for the Karnataka State Cricket Association.

Addressing the media here on Friday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, association president Anil Kumble, flanked by secretary Javagal Srinath and former India captain Rahul Dravid, made his panel’s intentions clear despite a body of work to boast in a short of span of time.

While Kumble steadfastly refused to comment on the speculations about his foray into politics, he maintained that he and his group could achieve most of what they set out to do when they donned the administrators’ role and that it was time for a new set of people to run the association.

“We are proud to state that the managing committee for the 2010-13 term has built the building blocks,” he remarked. “In the same vein, we also believe that a constantly evolving association that accommodates fresh ideas, dependable processes and systems ensures it remains in good health.”

When Kumble’s group came into power defeating the Srikanta Dutta Wadiyar-led panel in 2010, it was a unique scenario in Indian cricket where most of the managing committee members were cricketers of some distinction.

Between Kumble, Srinath, Dravid (a committee member through his club BUCC), Roger Binny, Venkatesh Prasad among others, the committee added up to more than 60 years of international cricketing experience.

Listing out the ruling group’s achievements — from number of new grounds across the State to sound financial position of the association — Kumble said they were proud to have managed to carry out most of the activities without touching the BCCI funds.

“We have enough resources for the next 10 years. (Assuming) the BCCI stops paying us from tomorrow, we have enough funds through our fixed deposits and the interest accrued from that,” added Srinath.

With Kumble and company deciding to exit the scene, it should be a walk in the park for the Wadiyar-Brijesh Patel combine. Wadiyar and Patel had fought a bitter battle in 2007 but the two veterans have joined hands in their bid to reclaim power.