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Ravi Shastri among others unconvinced by Supreme Court’s ‘one-state, one-vote’

The rule would mean MCA, Vidarbha Cricket Association and Maharashtra Cricket Association will only have one vote in BCCI on a rotational basis of one-year each.

Ravi Shastri was puzzled by Supreme Court's order © PTI
Ravi Shastri was puzzled by Supreme Court’s order © PTI

After the Supreme Court (SC) ordered Board of Cricket for Control in India (BCCI) to implement the points stated in Lodha Committee’s verdict, many state associations have begged to differ from their point of view. Lodha committee’s proposal of ‘one-state, one-vote’ rule is one of the major talking point, and has drawn varied opinions. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) will be one of those to suffer from this ruling, and some of the former players from the state including Ravi Shastri are unconvinced by SC’s call. Once in place, the rule would mean MCA, Vidarbha Cricket Association and Maharashtra Cricket Association will only have one vote in BCCI on a rotational basis of one-year each. ALSO READ: SC gives 6-month deadline to BCCI for implementing Lodha recommendations

Giving his opinion on this issue, former India Team Director Ravi Shastri was quoted by cricbuzz as saying, “Barring the really big names, at most times we didn’t even know who were the officebearers in the MCA.”

“I should be secure in the knowledge that if I get a 100 or a double hundred, it is going to stay in the Mumbai cricket record books. Outside of this, what could possibly be the repercussion of this court judgment, that only time will tell. As far as funding goes, I’m certain Mumbai will not be in the same bracket as some northeast state.”

Madhav Apte, a veteran of 7 Test matches, was visibly unhappy with the SC’s call. “I can’t see the need for such an arrangement. Do you mean to say that if three votes are reduced to one, politics will cease to exist? And because there are a few bad apples, does it mean those who’ve done good for the game and tried their best to uphold its history should suffer.”

“There are some other rules too that I read; Three selectors instead of five, for example. I can’t understand the need for this. It’ll be sad if the history of Mumbai cricket is not upheld and I hope the men who are incharge of making these decisions get it right,” adds Apte. This Mumbai octogenarian isn’t the only one worried. There are others too.

Another former Mumbai player, Milind Rege also shed his views on the much talked topic. “Whatever has happened trivialises history . In London, Middlesex and Surrey are just half-an-hour from each other. But as counties, don’t they have their own individual identities?”

“It’s like this: Because of two bad students in the class, the whole class has to suffer. Yes, there is certainly a need for better transparency in governance and some recommendations are good. But what’s happening outside of that is sad. Mumbai’s legacy has been completely wiped out.”

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