It was supposed to be a first introductory meeting of the Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) board members, but it went on for seven long hours at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) headquarters.
With some of the state associations not having any ICA representative to the state body’s apex council, the ICA board got into action by trying to fill out the vacant slots.
Under president Ashok Malhotra, the board members were in touch with the respective associations and also some of the players to get them on board. “Some of the associations had only named candidates for either male or female representatives. But we need to have the vacant slots filled up, so we have filled up most of the positions today after consulting with the state associations,” ICA president Malhotra told Sportstar after the meeting.
Big wigs like Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), Punjab Cricket Association had not named any women ICA representatives to the apex body and after deliberations on Wednesday, the board decided to name former India wicketkeeper Samantha Lobatto as the MCA female representative, while Madhu Kapoor would be part of Punjab.
Similarly, the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) and Maharashtra Cricket Association had not included any names for the male representative role and it has been learned that Tilak Raj is likely to represent Delhi, while Jairaj Mehta is set be the candidate from Maharashtra.
The ICA secretary has already informed the candidates, their respective associations and the remaining ones.
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It was decided that the newly recognised associations — especially the North East states — may have members from adjoining states as well. “There are quite a few new state associations where getting former cricketers is a problem, so there we will approach the adjoining state units and the players to fill up those roles. That’s the plan,” one of the members of the Board said.
The meeting was also attended by former India cricketer and coach, Anshuman Gaekwad, who is the male ICA representative nominee to the BCCI apex council, Shantha Rangaswamy, the female ICA representative nominee to BCCI apex council, and Surinder Khanna, representative nominee to IPL Governing Council.
BCCI’s electoral officer, N. Gopalaswami, addressed the members along with Board’s CEO Rahul Johri, before Malhotra took charge as the new chief.
The ICA board also discussed about the road ahead. “There have been cricketers association in the past but they have not been recognised. So, we have now the responsibility towards the BCCI and the cricketers -- who voted for us. Definitely we are answerable to them. They will have questions, queries and there will be different viewpoints,” Malhotra said.
The ICA will also have to look for a space in Mumbai to set up its independent office and appoint staff for running day-to-day activities. That, however, will be deliberated further when the members meet again on November 1.
ICA has prepared a tentative annual budget of Rs 15-20 crore to run its affairs.
This is for the first-time that a cricketers’ association has been recognised by the BCCI, as per its new constitution.
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