Sourav Ganguly, on Tuesday, criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India for its maladministration, which he said is threatening Indian cricket.
In a letter he wrote to the Indian cricket board’s Acting President CK Khanna, Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary and Treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, Ganguly said that “the authority of Indian cricket to the world and the love and belief of millions of fans is on the way down.”
The board’s handling of CEO Rahul Johri’s sexual harassment case, he wrote, has tarnished its image. He also mentioned the differences of opinion between CoA chairman Vinod Rai and its other member, Diana Edulji. Rai had constituted a panel to look into the allegations against Johri while Diana Edulji, the former India cricketer, was in favour of Johri either resigning or being asked to go.
The former Indian captain also criticised changing the rules of eligibility to play for a state, midway through the season, something that had never happened before.
Here’s the full text of Ganguly’s letter, published by news agency ANI:-
Dear all,
I write this mail to you all with the deep sense of fear as to where Indian cricket administration is going. Having played the game for a long period of time,were our lives were ruled by winning and losing, and the image of Indian cricket was of paramount importance to us. We wake up looking at how our cricket is faring even now. But with deep sense of worry, (I used the word worry) I beg to state that the way things have gone in the last couple of years, the authority of Indian cricket to the world and the love and belief of millions of fans is on the way down.
I don’t know how far it’s true, but the recent reports of harassment has really made the BCCI look very poorly. More so the way it has been handled. The committee of CoA from four has come down to two and now the two seems to be divided. Cricketing rules are changed in the middle of a season, which has never been heard off. Decisions made in committees are turned around with complete disrespect. My experience in the matter of coach selection was appalling (the less said the better). One of my friends, who is involved in matters relating to functioning of board asked me who should they go to. I had no answer. I had to ask who should I invite for an international game from a particular association as I did not know what was going on.
Indian cricket, with its massive following, has been built over the years of hard work from superb administrators and greatest of cricketers, who have managed to bring thousands of fans to the ground. I, at the present moment, think it’s in danger. Hope people are listening.
Regards
(Letter has been lightly edited for grammar and punctuation)