Anil Kumble says India players want to defend the Champions Trophy title

What’s the story?

India coach Anil Kumble has implored the BCCI to resolve its issues with the ICC and not let it come in the way of India’s Champions Trophy defence. Kumble is learnt to have made his views clear to the board officials that several players have expressed their desire to play the tournament, and while the BCCI may take its time to settle out the disputes with the central governing body, it should not hinder the cricket to be played on the field.

Sources close to the BCCI told Mumbai Mirror that important players have expressed their desire to play the tournament and that Kumble, their coach, has taken the inititiave to send their message across to the board.

In case you didn’t know

The BCCI missed the deadline to announce the squad for the eight-team tournament owing to financial disputes against the ICC after a new constitution and a financial model was adopted at its meetings in Dubai last month.

The new financial model that was adopted, and which would be ratified in June during the Annual General Meeting, reduced BCCI’s share in the central revenue pool from $570 million to $293 million.

Visibly miffed at the proceedings, the Indian board has threatened to pull out of the tournament and has completely negated the share designated to it by the ICC.

Details

Kumble isn’t the first one to voice his opinion about India’s participation in the tournament, as former cricketers Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid have already expressed their views in favour of India going ahead the playing in the tournament.

However, these comments haven’t gone down well with the board officials. A disgruntled board official told Mumbai Mirror, “No player is bigger than the institution, he cannot be asking to play when the board has a different stand.”

Another official was sterner in his tone. “Anil’s actions smack of unionism. He may have told the CoA about it but what is the locus standi of the COA? Its members are hand-in-glove with the ICC,” the official said.

These comments from the former India cricketer should be viewed in the light of the directive that the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators had given to the BCCI, which read that the board must immediately pick the squad for the Champions Trophy.

Mentioning that the delay in squad announcement is portraying Indian cricket in bad light, the CoA in its letter to the board had said, “You are aware that the squad representing India at the ICC Champions Trophy 2017 was to be submitted by 25th April 2017 but the squad has not even been selected as yet.

“Please convene a meeting of the selection committee for selecting the squad immediately. The squad can then be submitted to the ICC without prejudice to BCCI’s legal rights.”

Author’s take

While the disappointment of the BCCI at the way it has been cornered at the ICC meeting is understandable, what the board is forgetting is the fact that it isn’t about the institution, but about the sport at large.

The BCCI official was quick to remark that “no player is bigger than the instituiton” but forgot to mention that “no institution is bigger than the game.”

While the BCCI may take its own sweet time to settle out the matters with the ICC through efficient effective dialogue, using the team as a bait and a scapegoat is despicable to say the least.

The board must realize that the sport must not be hindered at any cost and that the fans of the game are eagerly waiting to witness their favourite cricketers in action.