N Srinivasan and Amit Shah are effectively running Indian cricket; the board is steeped in nepotism: Ramachandra Guha

Former member of Committee of Administrators (C0A) Ramachandra Guha has levelled some serious allegations against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). His new book ‘The Commonwealth of Cricket: A Lifelong Love Affair with the Most Subtle and Sophisticated Game Known to Humankind’ gives an insight on his stint in Indian cricket administration and he recently opened up on the same in an interview.

Guha was one of the four members of the CoA appointed by the Supreme Court to run the BCCI in January 2017. The apex court had appointed the committee to ensure transparency in the administration of the BCCI. But in June, Guha had resigned from the committee, citing personal reasons. Later, he had written a letter to former CoA chairman Vinod Rai and had pointed out the issues in the board.

In the latest turn of events, he has alleged that Home Minister Amit Shah and former BCCI president N Srinivasan are running ‘Indian cricket’. Criticizing the cricket administration in the country, Guha claimed that nepotism is rampant in Indian cricket. He went as far as saying that the Ranji Trophy players do not get their dues on time. Guha further rued that the BCCI is yet to adopt the reforms ‘that were hoped’

“N Srinivasan and Amit Shah are effectively running Indian cricket today. The state associations are run by somebody’s daughter, somebody’s son. The Board is steeped in intrigue and nepotism and there are great delays in paying Ranji Trophy players their dues. The reforms that were hoped for have not happened,” Ramachandra Guha told mid-day.

This kind of greed for money among Indian cricketers is shocking: Ramachandra Guha on Sourav Ganguly

Speaking further, Ramachandra Guha took a shot at former India skipper and current BCCI president Sourav Ganguly. The historian was critical of Ganguly endorsing a fantasy game despite being the board’s president. He stated that when a board president behaves in that manner, the ‘ethical standards go down’

“Not the biggest bane; it is a bane. Look at Ganguly today—head of the Board and representing some cricket fantasy game. This kind of greed for money among Indian cricketers is shocking,” he said when asked whether the conflict of interest is the biggest bane of Indian cricket.

“The most telling story in my book is about Bishan Singh Bedi saying that he is happy to go to Kabul [to coach Afghan cricketers]—anywhere for cricket and not anywhere for money. Why should Ganguly be doing all these things for a little extra money? Ethical standards go down if the president of the Board behaves like this,” he added.