BCCI chief 'not sure' India will play in Champions Trophy next year

In the wake of Lodha panel's sweeping recommendation for the country's cricket governing body, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur has cast doubts over whether India will be able to play the prestigious Champions Trophy next year.

The BCCI is opposed to the Lodha committee's recommendation that a 15-day window should be given to players between India's international calendar and the cash-rich Indian Premier League in order to avoid player burnout.

However, the BCCI maintained that the proposed reform would result in huge financial losses to the board and could push India into having to choose between playing the Champions Trophy or the IPL, which will conclude in the last week of May before the prestigious international tournament will begin on June 1 in England.

"As per the Lodha committee recommendation, there has to be a gap of 15 days between IPL and any other international tournament," BCCI chief Thakur told ANI. "In that situation, BCCI has to see whether we have to organise IPL or play in the Champions Trophy. That is yet to be decided.

"We can only take decision once final order of SC comes. As of today, we are not sure whether India will be able to play in the Champions Trophy."

Last week, the Justice Lodha Committee had submitted its status report with the Supreme Court, accusing the BCCI of defying the apex court's orders and stalling its proposed reforms.

In its report, the Supreme Court- appointed panel stated that the BCCI was not implementing its recommendations aimed at reforming the country's cricket governing body.

The move came after the BCCI appointed a five-member selection committee during its Annual General Meeting on September 21, which was in violation to the Lodha panel's guidelines.

Tearing into the BCCI for ignoring the directions of the Lodha panel, the apex court had directed the cricket governing body to respond to the panel's report before October 6.

In its October 1 Special General Meeting, the BCCI had accepted many of the "significant recommendations" of the Lodha Committee, however, it excluded the important ones which have been bone of contention between the cricket body and the Lodha Panel.

The recommendations, which have still not been accepted by the 30-member committee, ---one-state one-vote, age limit of 70 years, cooling-off period of three years which included the tenure of the administrators, continue with the five-selectors and keeping to retaining the powers of the president and secretary as per the earlier constitution of the board are the other recommendations.