Having first made public the news that India, Australia and England along with another top ICC full-member would conceptualise a new four-nation annual ODI Super Series from 2021 onwards, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has taken a slight u-turn on the matter saying the proposal remains just a proposal at this stage and there is nothing concrete about it.
It is understood, the tournament is a device to generate enough votes from the rest of the world and resist ICC's idea of an extra major event in the next rights cycle as the governing body wishes to implement.
Read Also: Four-nation ODI Super Series to start from 2021, confirms BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly
"Nothing is concrete yet. It will take a bit of time," Ganguly was quoted saying by TOI. The matter goes back to the recent ICC meetings where to further eradicate the controversial 2014 "Big 3" regime's decisions imposed on the rest of the world, the governing body pushed for the return of one major world event every year in the next rights cycle from 2023-31.
But that proposal, while to the benefit of nations like New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies, Bangladesh & co who would gain substantially more from another major event, didn't go down well with the powerful three as it makes the broadcasters in those major markets less financially able to purchase their bilateral cricketing rights.
"We support Sourav and BCCI, so will be helpful with all ideas and intentions. But this is more about focusing on the ICC-inspired scheduling, which is ludicrous," a source from England and Wales Cricket Board was quoted after Ganguly, secretary Jay Shah and treasurer Arun Dhumal met the authorities there in London recently.
Cricket Australia, it is learnt, hasn't yet been talked to by the BCCI. However, the officials from down under could be visiting the Indian shores during the next month's ODI series and discuss the issue out. The first of those India-Australia games will be played in Mumbai where this meeting might be held in the BCCI headquarters.
There is basically a "general mistrust of (the ICC's) intentions" as one stakeholder told TOI. "This is not about any Super Series. It has to do with how cricket has been run by the ICC and the disgraceful turn of events in recent times."
(Inputs from TOI)
