Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath walk out of KSCA meeting in protest at the state of affairs in Karnataka cricket

Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath are concerned about the state of Karnataka cricket

Former India and Karnataka stalwarts Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath, miffed with the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) for alleged misuse of funds, walked out of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the KSCA in protest on Sunday, 17th August, 2014.

Kumble, who is India’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket with 619 wickets from 132 matches, had held the post of president of the KSCA for 3 years after being elected in 2010. He said that his team did a lot of good for cricket in Karnataka in those 3 years and that the current set-up is putting their good work to waste by not utilizing the funds available for cricket purposes.

KSCA not member-friendly

"You certainly need to be member-friendly. The three years that we were here, the only thing that we heard was that we were not member-friendly. That was ridiculous. You are here for a case in the association for the development of cricket. You need to be cricket friendly along with member-friendly. We were the ones who established those clubhouses here," an irate Kumble told reporters.

"There was a fire accident about seven years ago and nothing was done. And now to suggest that those three years were dismal to Karnataka cricket association and it's all a one point agenda and one person conducting the show. The president is just sitting there and not even chairing the meeting, which is disappointing," Kumble said.

Kumble certainly didn’t pull his punches in his brief interaction with the media as he also severely criticized current president Ashok Anand and secretary Brijesh Patel.

"Everybody else other than the chair says what he has to say that is disappointing. Obviously it's all orchestrated. Obviously, they have taken time to have this kind of meetings. When you have 129 members sitting actually being a part of sub-committees which don't even meet and don't even sit down and discuss issues. There all a part of that and we are ten of us. Of course, a minority, but I will stand up for the right things and I will certainly voice my views," he said.

Srinath backs Kumble

Srinath, who was part of the KSCA set-up under his former team-mate Kumble, added that the current regime is not doing enough for cricket at the grass roots level in Karnataka.

"We have to get it into the heart and it has to be cricket all the way. We are looking for the next 20 years of KSCA. We still play 41 percent in Bangalore and Mysore on turf wickets. We need turf wickets throughout Karnataka. Sunil Joshi came from Gadag-Betageri, I came from Mysore, we hardly had any infrastructure. So you provide infrastructure throughout Karnataka. At least another 25 districts need such infrastructure," said Srinath.

"Once you do this infrastructure then you can think of something else. The cost for putting this infrastructure throughout Karnataka will be heavy so your spending should be on cricket. Now you come and say that this is clubhouse and you want an OK for the clubhouse, which we are not.

"Clubhouse has all these things. They should say we are looking at cricket, make hundred percent turf wickets in Karnataka. That's how kids come up. That's how you integrate education into sport."

Srinath also said that he has never had any personal ambitions in cricket administration but was forced to get his teeth into it because of the failings of other administrators governing Karnataka cricket.

"The point is we tried everything in the last three years. There was no reason for us to come, when we saw cricket suffering we came.

"And we don't want this administration job. We are still not aiming for all these things. But we came forward and put in a genuine effort in the last three years. All we want is to promote cricket. That's all we want to say," he added.