With the ouster of Anurag Thakur, Indian Cricket is facing a rather dodgy future. The Supreme Court has come down hard on the BCCI for their refusal to accept the Lodha Committee recommendations, and thus it would be interesting to see who next assumes the mantle of the Board in the near future.
The recommendations which finally claimed Anurag Thakur are as follows:
- All BCCI and state office bearers must not be over 70 years of age.
- No official could serve three successive terms either at BCCI or any of the state body. Also, they suggested that office bearers can hold office for a maximum of nine years with a three-year cooling period in between.
- They also recommended that all politicians should stay away from cricket, and this dealt a decisive blow to Anurag Thakur.
Hence, owing to the aforementioned clauses in the recommendations, Indian cricket would be best served if a former player decides to take up the responsibility. India is one lucky country in this respect, as there are plenty of worthy candidates to choose from.
Also read: The BCCI mess: How 'Crisis Management' could have saved the day!
Here in this list, we take a look at 5 such former players who would be best suited to take up the job in the longer run.
#5 Mohinder Amarnath
A rather off-field choice, many would argue, but then Amarnath is one of the best administrators going around. For some reason, Indian cricket has not taken advantage of his cricketing acumen in these years.
He is an outspoken man who never minces his words, and considering the volatile nature of Indian cricket, he could be best suited for the post. Also, he knows Indian cricket inside out and is well versed with the various factors which contribute to Indian cricket.
A board president who knows the grassroots is always a great deal, and Jimmy is one of the best bet we have got at the moment.
#4 Javagal Srinath
The former Indian quick is a natural administrator. This could be gauged from the fact that he was one of the pillars around Anil Kumble when they governed KSCA and proved to be quite successful.
He is currently an ICC Match referee and is knows International cricket and the various set-ups quite well. This bodes well for Indian cricket, which is one of the leaders in the cricketing world.
Srinath is a good communicator too, who goes about his business in an unperturbed manner, and this trait could be one of his signature styles.
Also, the fact that his Karnataka teammates, Anil Kumble and Rahul Dravid are the coaches of the Indian and the India U-19 teams respectively, should make him rather comfortable in his role.
#3 Kapil Dev
The former skipper is one of the most respected voices in Indian cricket and few would argue if he is appointed the BCCI boss.
The World Cup winning captain knows Indian cricket very well and this holds him in good shape if he were to be the BCCI head as he would make sure that the players and the different state associations are always given a fair deal.
He has also coached the Indian team and knows it first hand how to deal with International players and the different facets which go into building the team.
Also, he is an able communicator who seems to have his heart in the right place as far as Indian cricket is concerned, and he would be cut out for the top job.
#2 Ravi Shastri
Eyebrows raised?
The unofficial voice of Indian cricket is a no-nonsense character, but at the same time maintains a very cordial relationship with the players.
In these uncertain times, he could be right for the job as the players should be put to ease and Shastri knows how to do it.
He knows how to get business done at the International stage and this attribute would keep him in good shape when he hard sells Indian cricket during the ICC meets.
Also, he has just served as the Director of Indian cricket and knows many players from both the International and Domestic circuits.
Shastri has also had a very long stint as a cricket commentator and he would be the best man to understand how cricket is administered around countries, and this acumen could be put to great use in Indian cricket.
#1 Sourav Ganguly
The former captain is without a doubt the crowd favourite and there is all the reason why Ganguly could be the best bet in the current scenario.
The current president of the Cricket Association of Bengal is a doer and has had a brilliant tenure with Bengal so far. From staging a World T20 final, to hosting India’s first day-night Test match, Ganguly knows how to do things.
Also, few would deny the fact that for Ganguly it is always Indian Cricket which takes precedence and if this trait is combined with his peerless administrative qualities, he becomes almost the best bet amongst all the former legends.
Brand-new app in a brand-new avatar! Download Cric Rocket for fast cricket scores, rocket flicks, super notifications and much more!
