Anurag Thakur urges Team India support staff to wait for their dues

The ongoing BCCI versus Lodha Committee saga has taken a hit on the paychecks of the Team India support staff as they will now wait for their salaries as it remains uncleared by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI). It is reported that the BCCI president, Anurag Thakur, himself came down and met the staff after the conclusion of the 5th Test in Chennai.

According to sources close to team management and the BCCI, Thakur asked the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) officials to organise a hall for the meeting with the support staff and he met them after the presentation party of the Chennai Test.

Among others who were present at the meeting was coach Anil Kumble. Skipper Virat Kohli too was present. The meeting was short and Thakur assured that things would get sorted out soon and there was a mutual consensus that Thakur will meet them again after the Supreme Court verdict on January 2 or 3.

The ongoing legal battle with the Lodha Committee has stripped BCCI of its superiority and has put them at the mercy of the Supreme Court. The Lodha Panel head by Justice RM Lodha has put forward a set of recommendation to be followed by the apex cricketing board of India. However, the BCCI had shown its reservations in adopting the recommendation, therefore, beginning the lengthy legal battle which currently ongoing.

Thakur himself is understood to have spoken of the uncertainty in view of the impending verdict. “Everything will be clear after January 2 or 3. We’ll have to wait till then,” the BCCI president is learnt to have told the coaching staff.

“He congratulated us all for the series win (against England) and asked the team and staff to the keep the tempo going.  All of us cherished the win with the president over a cup of tea,” said a source who was present at the meeting.

Apparently, Thakur also had a meeting N Srinivasan, the former president of the BCCI and the president of TNCA before meeting the support staff.