Newly-elected BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke on Monday said that the Board was keen on “redemption” of the cricket body’s image and bringing more transparency in its style of functioning.
Shirke had quit as BCCI treasurer as he wanted the erstwhile president N Srinivasan to step down from his post with match-fixing allegations levelled against his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan during the 2013 edition of Indian Premier league.
Asked about his much-lauded decision to step down voluntarily, Shirke said,” That’s history.”
“What’s important is what we are able to achieve going forward. We want redemption of BCCI’s image. We have a young and dynamic president and we will do our best to meet the aspirations of fans and all stakeholders,” Shirke said.
“We want to improve upon transparency. Despite all the controversies, we have not failed to deliver on cricketing front. Be it IPl or World Cup or age tournaments, audits, all this has happened concurrently,” he said.
Shirke asserted that advertising for post of India coach’s job was a step in the direction of transparency.
“It’s an initiative to improve and bring about more transparency. It’s a welcome initiative. There has to be an eligibility criteria and we are in the process of making a document (on that criteria),” Shrike told NDTV.
Asked if former captain Rahul Dravid on the Board’s radar for the job, Shirke said process will be followed and no one was on their radar.
Shirke did not comment on the implications of lodha-committee recommendations, aimed at transforming the way BCCI functions. “The matter is pending before the court. It’s better to wait,” he said when specifically asked about one-state-one-vote recommendation put forward.
JKCA hopeful of support from BCCI
Marred by controversies in the past, Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) on Monday said that it is hopeful of full support from BCCI after MP Anurag Thakur taking over as president of BCCI.
“We are hopeful that BCCI will support JKCA under the vibrant leadership of Anurag Thakur,” JKCA’s representative in BCCI Committee Ranjeet Kalra said on Mondau.
Kalra said,”The new President Anurag Thakur is a dynamic and progressive leader and is well aware of the problems being faced by JKCA.”
“We have been facing a lot of problems in J&K, due to floods and other recurring controversies. Our players are suffering. We need big time support from BCCI to build infrastructure and to promote cricket in the state”, he said.
“Both Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke are men of integrity and have a visionary approach. Both have raised modern and big stadiums at Dharamshala and Pune respectively,” he further added.
Kalra said:”We at Jammu &Kashmir Cricket Association are hopeful that their rich experience shall come in handy to put our association back on track.”
JKCA general secretary Iqbal Shah, who attended the BCCI Special General Meeting at Mumbai on Sunday, said: “I have had very fruitful discussions with the President who has assured us all the help to build cricket in the state”.
“I am sanguine that the BCCI shall patronise us and support our cricketing initiatives,” he said.