Azhar set to receive his dues from BCCI

Former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin is all set to receive his dues from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The Board’s acting president C. K. Khanna confirmed to Sportstar on Tuesday that the BCCI’s legal team has conveyed it has nothing to challenge Azhruddin’s claims.

Azharuddin had defended his case in the Andhra Pradesh High Court and got it to rule against BCCI’s process of conducting the probe and arriving at the decision to ban him for life.

Former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin is all set to receive his dues from the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

The Board’s acting president C. K. Khanna confirmed to Sportstar on Tuesday that the BCCI’s legal team has conveyed it has nothing to challenge Azhruddin’s claims.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA) will meet here on Wednesday to take a look at many issues including revising the pay structure for domestic cricketers and Azharuddin’s request to be paid his dues – one-time payment, benevolent fund and pension.

The meeting is expected to approve the list of BCCI’s panel of TV commentators for the ensuing season part from discussing the conflict of interest issue.

Azharuddin’s dues had been withheld following his ban for alleged match-fixing. Azharuddin defended his case in the Andhra Pradesh High Court and got it to rule against BCCI’s process of conducting the probe and arriving at the decision to ban him for life.

The Board also did not challenge the Andhra Pradesh High Court ruling and Azharuddin has been pleading for the clearance of his dues.

Azharuddin’s case would also bring into focus the issue of Manoj Prabhakar, Ajay Jadeja, Ajay Sharma and S. Sreesanth, the last-named exonerated of match-fixing allegations by the Kerala High Court. The Board had slapped a life ban on Sreesanth and the former India fast bowler has now expressed his desire to return to cricket.

Prabhakar too had written to the Board for clearing his dues. He had served his five-year ban and returned to the mainstream by coaching Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Afghanistan. “I have written to the Board many times but have not heard from it,” said Prabhakar, who keenly awaits the CoA views on the issue.

Ajay Sharma too was given a reprieve by a Delhi court and the Board is yet to contest that decision. In his case, Ajay Sharma would have to announce his retirement before seeking his dues.

Even former India all-rounder Jadeja has not been paid his dues. He may have to announce his retirement before falling in the category of beneficiaries.

Another cricketer who expects the Board to review his case is former India batsman Dinesh Mongia, who is the only cricketer not to have been granted amnesty for playing in the Indian Cricket League. He was charged with match-fixing in the ICL but claimed “There has been no evidence against me. There is no BCCI ban on me either but I have not been paid my dues for a decade.”