'It will be a shame if Dada has to leave after 10 months' - Gautam Gambhir

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly scripted history when he became the first cricketer to become the president of the BCCI in October in the past 60 years. The former Indian captain has been on a roll since then. Ganguly, as president, is instrumental in converting the dream of India playing the Day-Night Pink Ball Test.

However, according to the existing rules set by the Lodha Committee, Ganguly will have to vacate his office after a period of just ten months. According to the laws, an office-bearer has to go towards the cooling-off period after having completed consecutive terms. Ganguly has previously served as the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal. And, former Indian opener Gautam Gambhir has now expressed his reservations as far as the rule regarding the cooling-off period for office-bearers is concerned. 

Writing in his column for the Times of India, Gambhir feels that Indian cricket needs administrators like Sourav Ganguly, and it will be a shame if the latter had to vacate his office after ten months.

“Personally speaking, I am not a big fan of the cooling-off period for office-bearers. I have said this before and I will say it again that Indian cricket needs individuals like Sourav Ganguly. They not only have minds of their own but they also have vision and ability to lead inclusive growth. Besides, he knows his weaknesses better than his strengths and knows how to work on them. It will be a shame if Dada has to leave after 10 months. At the same time, I am not suggesting to undo the fantastic work done by Lodha Committee,” Gambhir wrote in his column for the Times of India.

In the past few days, talks have emerged that the BCCI had proposed sweeping changes to the Lodha reforms, which if passed by the Supreme Court, could pave way for an extended run for Ganguly and co. Gambhir hoped that it doesn’t result in another round of “courtroom deliberations” as in the past.

“There is a lot of talk about ways and means being discussed to extend the tenure of newly-elected BCCI office-bearers. The agenda circulated for the December 1 AGM of the board clearly suggests that we haven’t heard the last on this matter. The voice from the Lodha camp is that this will be ‘ridiculing Supreme Court’. This is understandable considering the efforts that the RM Lodha Committee had put in to suggest reforms for the BCCI constitution. I hope we are not heading for another episode of courtroom deliberations,” Gambhir added.

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