BCCI chief feels Lodha panel's recommendations could take cricket 20 years back

Board of Control for Cricket in India president Anurag Thakur has claimed that the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha panel's recommendations could have an adverse impact on cricket and could take the flourishing sport 20 years back.

Speaking in an exclusive conversation with ETV News head Jagdeesh Chandra, Thakur said that the BCCI has given a great gift to cricket in the form of Indian Premier League, insisting that besides giving a boost to entertainment and business sectors, the lucrative T20 tournament has also provided significant opportunities to aspiring youngsters.

The committee headed by justice (retd) RM Lodha was appointed by the apex court last year in the wake of a sport-fixing scandal in IPL, the biggest crisis to hit the cash-rich sports body in the country.

The Lodha Committee had suggested a slew of recommendation to revamp the organisation, which included a one-state-one-vote policy, legalising of betting, banning of advertisements in between overs during cricket telecast, age-limit for BCCI office-bearers, bringing BCCI under RTI and ban of politicians and bureaucrats from the BCCI hierarchy.

Commenting on the selection of Team India head coach, the Member of the Parliament stated that the appointment will be made completely on the basis of competence. He said it shouldn't be a matter of objection even if an efficient coach, who doesn't understand Hindi, is appointed.

Earlier this month, the sport's governing body had laid down nine criteria in order to be eligible for the post with criterion No. 6 asking for the knowledge in 'Hindi and other regional Indian languages'.

However, BCCI honorary secretary Ajay Shirke had played down this factor, saying that it was 'not a compulsion but desirable'.

Earlier in the day, Thakur told reporters in Dharamsala that an announcement on India's head coach will likely be made by Thursday evening.

He said that the decision will be made after studying the report by the three-member cricket advisory committee comprising Sourav Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman.

Last week, the BCCI had shortlisted 21 candidates out of 57 applicants for the post after they met the primary criteria specified by the sport's governing body.

Former India captain Anil Kumble and former team director Ravi Shastri were among the most high-profile candidates who were interviewed on Tuesday.