‘Change not easy to champion or digest’: Shashank Manohar’s message to BCCI

The International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, Shashank Manohar, has effectively told ousted Indian Board chiefs to swallow the bitter pill of transition sweeping its corridors for the larger good of the game.

In a column posted in the revamped ICC website on Wednesday, Manohar, who quit as Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president to head the world body, signed off with an advise to the most influential cricket body in the world.

READ | Supreme Court overrules Vinod Rai panel, clears all three for ICC meet in Dubai

Giving an overview of the global game and issues before the body as it heads into crucial meetings this week in Dubai, Manohar said he had been following developments in BCCI, after the Supreme Court replaced officials found ineligible as per the Justice RM Lodha report with an interim four-member committee.

“India is a vitally important member of the ICC, and contrary to some reports, I believe a strong BCCI based on solid governance foundations is good for cricket. India is a nation that others look up to and it can play such an important role in the opportunity we have with other full members to grow the global game. The ICC will continue to work closely with the BCCI administration and provide any support necessary,” he said.

Manohar then sent out a message at the very end, which seemed to be aimed at the ousted BCCI officials, who had staunchly opposed the Lodha panel reforms and were criticial of the ICC boss for not backing their stand and for what they felt undermining the Indian Board’s influence in world cricket.

“Change is not always easy to champion nor is it easy to digest, but we must think of the global game when taking decisions and only then will history judge us kindly.”

While the BCCI has come under fire over conflict of interest and lack of financial accountability, the Indian board also stands to lose with the ICC, under Manohar’s stewardship, set to rescind the ‘Big Three’ changes brought in under then ICC president N Srinivasan in 2014.

Under those controversial changes, India, Australia and England stood to get the lion’s share of revenue from global events and got a bigger say in choosing lucrative bilateral series.

Manohar, in his statement, has said the ICC will review these changes which were criticised by many other boards but they were then left with little option but to accept them.