Published: Sep 11, 2016, 04:50 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 11, 2016, 05:08 PM (IST)
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Anurag Thakur recently voiced his opinions about the International Cricket Council (ICC) decision to cut down the BCCI shares from its revenue. Speaking in a brief chat, Thakur not only spoke about his views about the cut down of revenue, he also spoke about the Lodha committee recommendations, the pay every member of the Lodha panel receives, how he cherishes his job position and what all efforts he has put in to make sure that women’s cricket forward and also about what changes he is planning on to increase the popularity of Test cricket in India. READ: Cheteshwar Pujara completes 10,000 First-Class runs
It is also said that ICC had held a separate meeting with other member boards without involving BCCI to discuss about the cutting down of shares and also about other ICC issues. Speaking about the same Thakur was quoted saying according to cricbuzz.com, “Even I heard that a separate meeting was held with a few boards about the revenue sharing thing and other issues of ICC, which is not in the interest of ICC. But only ICC can comment on that, I am not in a position to comment on that. ALSO READ: Virender Sehwag, Harbhajan Singh wish Murali Kartik on his 40th birthday
All I can say is BCCI is one of the most important stakeholders of the ICC. They cannot treat BCCI like that. And if such a situation arose, only ICC can tell. I cannot tell anything on that. All I can say is that I’m not giving a single percent share from Team India. For me, my country, my board is the most important part and I have to look after them. For me the institution is the most important thing, not the individual.”
“The BCCI and the Indian subcontinent contribute a lot to the ICC. ICC gets close to 70% of its revenue from our market. What we get in return is not even one-third or one-fourth of that. So I think it is very appropriate whatever share is decided for the BCCI in the past is the right thing and we are not even giving away 1% of that share.”
Furthermore he was asked if Shashank Manohar had used BCCI as a platform to get to the post of ICC Chairman, to which Thakur diplomatic card answered, “That is up to the public to see whether Mr. Manohar has used the BCCI platform to become the ICC chairman or not. I’m not in a position to comment on that. All I have to say is that I have to look after my institution and I’m here to save every penny for my cricket board. BCCI needs to do well for the good of global cricket. Without BCCI, there cannot be any good of global cricket. Everyone must understand that, including the ICC.”
“I don’t think that he wants to play any politics with that. But at the end of the day, he is an Indian even if he is the ICC chairman.”
