Mumbai, Sept 19: Newly appointed President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Mr. N Srinivasan addressed the media here today after the board’s 82nd Annual General Meeting (AGM). Mr. Srinivasan interacted with the press after announcing the names of the various office bearers and committees confirmed at the meeting.
Excerpts from the media interaction.
On the way forward for Indian cricket
The direction in which the BCCI is going, it [has] already been settled. I think our cricket has achieved all that is possible for them to achieve on the cricket field. Two months ago they were the heroes of the world, toast of India, they won the World Cup, they were the No. 1 Test team. Yes we have had one bad series, maybe a disappointing series, but that does not mean we can dump the Indian team. They deserve all [our] support. The BCCI does not support the view that there is too much cricket being played by the Indian team because except [for] a few players, all of them don’t play all three versions of cricket and we have also taken stock of the number of days of cricket played by other countries; overall there is not much difference and in any case it’s not the same team for all three versions. And the players who play all three versions were not the ones who got injured so I don’t think it is a fair comment. We did not do as well as expected, [but] that happens. We have belief in this team and we have every belief that they will bounce back very well.
On the possibility of resting key players
India will field its best team at all times. Unless a player is injured the policy is to field your best team.
On whether a committee had been formed to review the team’s performance and on the desire to become No. 1 again
I don’t like to lose at all, BCCI can’t wait to get back that spot. We have not formed any committee because as I said in the opening remark, we recognise the fact that the tour did not go as we planned, and for a combination of factors. We did not have our best team from the beginning, a lot of players were injured, it happens. We have every faith in the team; yes, we have to win. We have made it there, we have achieved the position – No. 1. There is no reason why we should not be able to do so in the future.
On BCCI’s stand on the DRS
Yes, actually we were very reluctant to [implement] the DRS [Decision Review System] as it was being portrayed then, because we did not believe in the ball-tracking technology at all. But BCCI is not averse to technology so therefore at the last meeting of the ICC in Hong Kong, we agreed to a minimum usage of DRS including Hot Spot but we said no ball-tracking , no pitch map etc. […] It is not necessary for me to dwell on the accuracy of Hot Spot; I think it was there for everybody to see. The answer to your question is yes, the BCCI will at the next ICC meeting raise this issue. We want to revisit it because we feel that the Hot Spot is insufficient technology on which to base a decision and therefore we would request that this be revised. We do not wish to use DRS in its present form even [at] the minimum standard. This is the position that we will take at the ICC. Already President Mr. Shanshank Manohar, before he stepped down, has raised [the issue at] the ICC and at the next ICC board meeting I will be raising this.
On the rehabilitation of injured players and the National Cricket Academy (NCA)
We have an excellent facility at the NCA, and I think that is as good as any in the world. Any player who has any niggle or problem from any state, whether a contracted player or even a Ranji Trophy player, can go there and get themselves rehabilitated. No player is chosen unless the NCA has cleared his fitness. If a player is injured on the field there is very little we can do. We must bear in mind that this was an extraordinary season where suddenly we had a lot of people injured. It has not happened in the past; you have to just take it. It is not as if BCCI is not conscious on injury management. It is not as if the BCCI does not have a system in place. We have everything; more players [than usual] got injured that’s all.
On the focus of BCCI
BCCI is focussed on domestic cricket; BCCI is extremely focussed on the performance on the Indian cricket team in all three versions. IPL is also an important property of the BCCI but it is not that the BCCI’s focus is on the IPL and not on other forms of cricket; it is to the contrary. At all times we are looking to see how we can improve our basic skills in cricket.
On the role of the special committee formed this year
This is a committee to oversee the specialist academies. We have a spin bowlers’ academy, academy for wicketkeepers, batsmen, bowlers, fast bowlers. In order to give a proper thrust and direction, and to blend it with the other academies that we have, including the National Cricket Academy, we have set up a special committee who will advise the BCCI on the role of these academies. So it has a very important function; we want to integrate all the coaching that is taking place in the country. It will work hand-in-glove with the NCA. Mr. Pandove, who is the Chairman of the committee, will become a special invitee to all meetings of the NCA board.
