Sharad Pawar announces his resignation as MCA Chief

Sharad Pawar, former chief of International Cricket Council (ICC) and Board of Cricket Council for India (BCCI), is going to retire from Mumbai Cricket Association on Supreme Court’s (SC) verdict regarding the age cap of 70 for cricket administrators, as reported by NDTV. His resignation is being seen as the first repercussion of the Lodha Committee recommendations.

"I will be the happiest (man) to retire. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has approved all recommendations by the Supreme Court. But we need clarification on one or two points, like in Maharashtra, we have three associations. We have objection on rotation policy," Pawar said in a Press Conference. He added that he is not going to retire immediately as it will take some time for MCA to implement the rules sent by the Supreme Court.

The Lodha Committee recommended that the BCCI office bearers should not be above the age of 70 years. It also recommended that the Board functionaries should step down from respective positions in the state bodies. After Supreme Court’s verdict, BCCI has given a time limit of six months for the application of the recommendations.

Pawar said that MCA will first redraw the constitution and will get the draft approved by the managing committee before a Special General Meeting is called out to get the amended constitution passed. Pawar served ICC as its President since 2010 to 2012 and before that he was the Chairman of BCCI from 2005 to 2008.

As Pawar has agreed to SC’s verdict, the next focus would come on veteran cricket administrators Niranjan Shah, who is 72 years old and Saurashtra Cricket Association supremo and N.Srinivasan, who is 71 years old and heads Tamil Nadu Cricket Association.

When Pawar was asked if it would be difficult for MCA to fill up the void after his retirement as most of the managing committee members aren’t eligible to administrate, he answered that Mumbai had enough efficient people to fill up the empty space. He also said that most of the members of the MCA managing committee will be affected barring a few.

After SC’s verdict, the MCA Chief became ineligible to act as a top official in any Cricket Body associated by BCCI since he is more than 70 years old and had a cumulative time period of 9 years. He said lightheartedly that he has welcomed the arbitration panel of the Supreme Court in which there are some members who were more than 70 years of age themselves.

"Supreme Court has taken a decision and I respect that (about age cap on cricket administrators). In the Arbitration Panel of the Supreme Court there are judges who are above 70 years of age. I am happy that their vast experience and knowledge is available to the Supreme Court," Pawar remarked lightheartedly to PTI.