To say nobody held Kohli responsible for Cup loss would be incorrect: Vinod Rai
Ex-CAG, Committee of Administrators Chairman Vinod Rai talks about the SC-appointed body’s ties with BCCI, calls row over Army insignia on Dhoni gloves oversight, defends Ravi Shastri’s selection, work as coach, and explains why he called for Pakistan’s ‘isolation’
(Excerpts)
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: There is a perception that as a sports administrator you have taken some populist measures. After the Pulwama attack, and before the World Cup, the BCCI wrote to the International Cricket Council to isolate Pakistan. You went on record to say that Pakistan should be treated the way South Africa was for Apartheid. ‘The present dispensation feels strongly about it because we reflect the sentiment of the nation. We are not a closed cricket community, we represent the nation,’ you said. But doesn’t this go against the Olympic Charter, where to play a sport is a human right?
I was coming to things step by step. Were you allowing Pakistani players in the Indian Premier League? You were not. Now, India was slated to play Pakistan on June 16… There was a rhetoric built up over here that India should refuse to play with Pakistan. People were saying it, the media was reporting it. The media was not cooking it up. The media reports, picks up news from the ground… There was a headline saying that the BCCI wants to go for revenues, and that is why they want to play Pakistan. I don’t want to name the television anchor… Now, faced with such a situation, what was my reaction? If we don’t play Pakistan (in the World Cup), we lose one point, two points, and that doesn’t matter. But suppose Pakistan comes up in the semi-final and we withdraw. Isn’t that shooting yourself in the foot? We would be closing avenues for ourselves. Which, I thought, was an incorrect move. So I said, rather than shooting ourselves in the foot, let’s isolate them.
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: During the World Cup, why did the BCCI write to the ICC seeking permission for M S Dhoni to wear wicket-keeping gloves with the ‘Balidaan Badge’, the regimental dagger insignia of the Army’s Special Forces? The request was turned down and it triggered a big media debate.
That was a non-issue. What he wore was not the insignia of his regiment. But he wore something… At that point, at least I did not know that the ICC had rules about what you can put on your gloves. I was taken by surprise. I said, look, if he is wearing it, he is free to wear it, and I supported him. Then I was shown 11 pages of ICC norms which say that you can only have your team’s insignia and that of the manufacturers. So we had to withdraw. It was a genuine oversight by me. Why should I name anybody else? I did not know that there are such instructions.
DAKSH PANWAR: Going back to the previous question, and just to make it clear, are you in favour of isolating Pakistan in cricket?
No. As I said I was taking a position to counter the rhetoric which had gained momentum in the public domain. That’s all. On playing Pakistan, I think there is a government policy…that you can play on neutral territory, and not on each other’s… We are very clear in our minds that on neutral territory we will play any country.
SUNIL JAIN: Many people are of the opinion that you are allowing the captain to decide everything… Virat Kohli didn’t want Anil Kumble to be coach. Then replacing Kumble with Ravi Shastri, who many argue was not the best coach. Your comments.
We took charge on January 30, 2017. In April, when we happened to be in Hyderabad for the first match of the IPL season, Kumble’s contract was produced before me. Kumble’s contract, or rather selection as a coach, was for a two-year period. The person selected then did not find favour… So Kumble was selected, but he was given only a one-year tenure. Kumble’s contract did not have a clause for extension. The issue that came up was not so much about what happened in the dressing room… It was if we have to extend Kumble’s tenure, how do we do it? I was in favour of an extension if it was found appropriate by a certain committee. I said please follow the process. That’s all. And, what was the process? Call for applications, go through an interview process, and select the right person. You can call me ignoramus, but at the time I did not know what happened between the captain and the coach.
SUNIL JAIN: How is Ravi Shastri as a coach?
Now, again, I don’t know how many coaches would have been superior to Shastri, but at least he has managed to keep the team fighting fit, battle-ready and cohesive in every respect. So I think he performed very well as a coach.
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: But there seems to be a problem with the coach selection process. Earlier, applications were invited and people applied. Ravi Shastri did not apply initially when Kumble’s contract was to be extended. Virat Kohli said that he doesn’t want Kumble. Then the BCCI CEO asked for fresh applications. That is when Ravi Shastri applied and got the position.
The reasons (for this process) have been recorded in writing… Only the application period was extended and two people applied — it was not only Ravi Shastri. The application period was extended by four weeks, if I remember correctly.
NIHAL KOSHIE: The Lodha Committee reforms say that people holding public offices, especially ministers, shouldn’t be in the BCCI. I’m asking this because the Union Home Minister, Mr Amit Shah, is the president of the Gujarat Cricket Association. Delhi MLA Om Prakash Sharma is a member of the executive committee of the Delhi and District Cricket Association. Don’t the Lodha Committee’s suggestions apply to these bodies as well?
It’s a valid legal issue. We have addressed it. We went right up to the amicus also to check on this issue and we were told that their tenure is till the time the AGM (Annual General Meeting) is held. When the AGM is held, they will have to demit office… There are four-five people. They will all demit office.
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: The Lodha Committee came out with certain clauses on the issue of conflict of interest. But there are several complaints about cricketers in this regard. Sourav Ganguly is president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, he is a commentator… Rahul Dravid is employed with India Cements…
In his report, Justice Lodha has given about 20 examples of conflict of interest. So the issues are very clear. We abide by them a 100 per cent. Since you took certain names… Sourav Ganguly is in conflict since he is president of the Cricket Association of Bengal. No dispute about it. Rahul Dravid was (in breach) because he was employed by India Cements. He has been made to stop that. You can check up. There is a resignation.
See, we believe that a cricketer is conflicted if he is employed or engaged in commentary for the BCCI. But if, say, you are doing commentary for a vernacular channel somewhere in Andhra Pradesh, and you had no dealings, you are a former player, why should you be in conflict? Now we wanted that issue to be cleared. I sincerely believe that it is a grey area. And the ethics officer, we believe, took a very narrow, legalistic view of what that conflict is. So we approached him for a reconsideration. He says, his mandate does not allow a review and you have to go back to the court.
In Sourav’s case, as long as he is president of CAB, he can’t be a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee.
TUSHAR BHADURI: The Committee of Administrators (CoA) was formed to implement the Lodha reforms. However, all we hear in the news is tussles within the body. Do you think you have got into details which were not your domain, like board administration and functioning?
I have read the (Supreme Court) judgment… (It says) the CoA has been nominated by the court… and that the administrators shall supervise the management of the BCCI. So you have no option but to do administration. The judgment has a few important points. First, that the administration of the BCCI will be done by the CoA. Secondly, for (implementation of) reforms, we started as a four-member body; two people left. We are now left with two people… It’s not necessary to be unanimous, you must have healthy discussions and debate. The only objection I have is that it should not come out in the public domain.
SANDEEP DWIVEDI: In April, the CoA approved travel plans for its own members to watch the June-July World Cup in England? Why were CoA administrators needed there?
We took a decision for office-bearers to go. It was for seven days. What do they do (there)? When they go there, they will watch the matches. Why shouldn’t a member watch the matches?… I can give you 16 different examples of why it’s good to go there. I did not go… Seven days in 45 days is not a big thing.
SUMIT JHA: If a captain, and not just in cricket but any other sport, is given powers to select coaches, doesn’t it take away from the game?
It’s good to have checks and balances. When a team performs badly, I don’t think it’s only the captain’s (responsibility). There are a lot of closed door discussions… To say that nobody held Virat Kohli responsible for the (World Cup) loss would be incorrect.
https://indianexpress.com/article/s...up-loss-would-be-incorrect-vinod-rai-6016895/
