Kolkata: Much to the relief of Indian cricket fans across the globe, the BCCI in it’s SGM in New Delhi on Sunday, came to a decision that the defending champions India would compete in the upcoming Champions Trophy slated to begin on the June 1. Also, the parental body of cricket in India has decided to not send any legal notice to the ICC, much to the relief of Committee of Administrators (COA).
The team will be selected in a meeting tomorrow in New Delhi. “The BCCI SGM unanimously decided that the Indian cricket team will participate in the upcoming ICC Champions Trophy. The All-India Senior Selection Meeting will be held tomorrow, May 8, in New Delhi to pick the team” said the board in a press release.
Amitabh Choudhary, the current joint director of the board has been assigned by the BCCI to deal with the ICC keeping open it’s legal options. “The Board unanimously authorized the acting Hony. Secretary of the BCCI to continue negotiations with the ICC in the best interest of the BCCI while keeping its legal options open,” a senior BCCI official said.
“It was a unanimous decision that the Indian team will be participating in the Champions Trophy. We will not take any legal recourse in the matter. Mr Amitabh Choudhary and CEO Rahul Johri will negotiate with ICC,” the official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
Former BCCI President N Srinivasan attended the meeting via Skype but did not comment anything on the pull-out.
Some time back, the BCCI had threatened of a pull out from the Champions Trophy as a protest towards the new constitution of the world body, which ruled out the ‘Big Three Plan’ of 2014 and also revised it’s revenue structure. The Vinod Rai led Committee of Administators pushed the BCCI to not opt for a pull out, in whose case they said they would seek the intervention of the Supreme Court.
COA happy
This decision by the BCCI thus is also a personal victory for the Supreme Court appointed body and Vinod Rai, quite understandably, a happy man. “Happy that BCCI took the decision to play. Had assured Virat Kohli and Anil Kumble that the team will travel, but the process will take some time. BCCI should concentrate more on the governance model, less on revenue” said Rai.
He further added, “100 million extra is good enough. The rest they can make up by playing bilateral series. They have lost out on the negotiations over governance structure. They should have concentrated more on that.”
The ICC too, was delighted at this decision as they believe that now with India’s confirmed participation, the “Mini World Cup” would be a complete event.
Said the ICC in a statement, “The ICC welcomes the unanimous decision from the BCCI Special General Meeting this morning to confirm the participation of defending champions India in next month’s Champions Trophy. The hundreds of millions of cricket fans around the world just want to see good cricket and now we can all look forward to a superb event in England and Wales starting on June 1,” ICC said.
Defending champions India would thus begin their campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan in Edgebaston in a high octane clash on the June 4.
(With inputs from PTI)