CoA chief Vinod Rai gives BCCI ultimatum over implementation of Lodha Committee's recommendations

What’s the story?

Vinod Rai, the head of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), gave the BCCI an ultimatum, saying he would step down from his honorary role if the BCCI did not implement the Lodha committee’s directive in full by September.

Should he quit, the CoA will be down to just one member, Diana Edulji, after Ramachandra Guha quit in frustration, and Vikram Limaye was offered a managerial post at the NSE.

A source said, “Mr Rai is doing this work honorary. He has other important work to accomplish rather than following up with the BCCI members to implement the Supreme Court order,” which aptly represents the stubbornness with which the BCCI functions.

In case you didn’t know…

The CoA was set up by the Supreme Court as a temporary committee to oversee the BCCI’s implementation of the Lodha committee’s suggestions. This was met with fierce opposition from the BCCI and state associations, who made the process arduous for the CoA.

About a month ago, cricket historian Ramachandra Guha wrote an elaborate letter, slamming the BCCI in its conduct during his time in the CoA and resigned.

The BCCI has held several special general meetings (SGM) to sort out the issue, and face the return on the notorious N Srinivasan. The recent SGM has led to the creation of a committee to pick out the infeasible Lodha recommendations, a move Rai likely was not pleased by.

The details

Men and women in power, who are refusing to give up that power have made Rai’s job incredibly hard, making it tough for him to follow the CoA’s directive.

Rai has taken a non-confrontational approach with both the ICC and the BCCI, often referring to the Supreme Court before making controversial decisions. This move is similar to the resignation of Guha, it’s just that it is Rai’s final push to make something happen before washing his hands of the BCCI.

The Supreme Court has also been looking for members to replace Guha and Limaye in the CoA.

What’s next?

For Indian cricket administration, little can change so soon, but the CoA was a promising start. Rai’s ultimatum will likely make the Supreme Court take notice and push the Lodha recommendations through, whether the BCCI like it or not.

On the other hand, if little is done, and Rai quits the committee, they will need to find competent replacements for the three members who can stand up to the ugly beast that is the BCCI, which will not be easy by any stretch of the imagination.

Author’s take

The CoA are trying their hardest, in their meek and unpolitical ways, to push through what is a tough pill for the BCCI to swallow and instead of remedying itself, it lives happily on with its various viruses.

Cricket will not function smoothly till the BCCI yields to the Lodha committee recommendations. The BCCI and the CoA are at a stalemate, one that the CoA is slowly losing, one member at a time and this is the last stand from its leader, one that might just work.