Former BCCI president and ICC chairman N Srinivasan has taken a serious dig at the current situation of the BCCI and at the current office holders of Indian cricket board.
Speaking to Times of India, Srinivasan said, "Everything is in complete disarray. There is nobody to take decisions, rules are being changed in domestic cricket to suit personal needs, there are no committees in place," Srinivasan said. "From what had been a strong administrative policy that the BCCI had put in place, it's all being destroyed slowly. My question is, how bad were the previous regimes? Administrators in the past have helped BCCI reach where it has and look at how cricket has become a source of livelihood for scores of people in India."
Srinivasan also said that the current mess is due to events from five years back when the spot-fixing scandal hit the BCCI.
"While I was in BCCI, I just did my job and if people appreciate it now, I'm happy," he said. "I did the same when I went to ICC. For the first time, I got India its due recognition in the committee of nations. Unfortunately, things have been frittered away by subsequent events and people. But you can't take away anything from India permanently because you have to recognize that India is literally sustaining international cricket. India is bankrolling world cricket. So, I'm not worried because, it may take time, but we will eventually get our due.”
He suggested that the two-year ban on Chennai Super Kings was a result of 'jealousy'.
He said, "No (CSK) player made a mistake. It was an attack on the superior performance of the team. Jealousy, maybe. The team did not deserve the punishment they got. The simmering anger among the players for being treated like this is what brought about the victory (in IPL 2018). They were determined to prove again 'we are the best'."
Srinivasan also launched a scathing attack on former BCCI president and current ICC chairman Shashank Manohar. Manohar, as the chief of ICC, had undone Srinivasan's 'Big Three' financial plans, which had allotted more revenue from the ICC for India, Australia, and England for contributing more income to the board.
"I think I clearly misread the man. He has hurt Indian cricket and he wants to destroy whatever legacy there was. That is sad," he said of Manohar, who he had a good rapport with initially.
"Jealousy? It is not everybody who can accept somebody else's success. Whatever gains India made, have all been given away. But what people don't realize is that Indian cricket will never lose this battle - from a national and global perspective - because the intrinsic strength lies in the way people love this sport in our country," added Srinivasan.
The 74-year-old said he'll 'fight' his way back and mentioned, "Heading the BCCI is a public position and it comes with its share of problems too. But I've always been a fighter, and let me tell you, they picked on the wrong guy. You may defeat me and I'll accept it but I won't lose and go away."
(inputs from news18.com/cricketnext)
