BCCI’s new constitution misses T20 tourney

Hyderabad: Has the BCCI dumped the domestic T20 cricket tournament? It would appear so going by the revised constitution posted on their official website. The Memorandum of Association & Rules & Regulations of BCCI as finalised by the Committee of Administrators makes no mention of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the internal feeder tournament to IPL, BCCI’s plum revenue generator.

Chapter Five: Management, Point 25 (2) A that deals with The Senior Tournament Committee only talks of the Ranji, Irani, Duleep, Deodhar, Vijay Hazare and Vizzy trophies with no reference to the annual senior men’s T20 competition.

Also, the laws seem lenient when it comes to eligibility of players on the Women’s Cricket Committee (26 D). “The Women’s Cricket Committee shall consist of five former women players who have played at least First Class cricket,” the rule says while having “played a minimum of 25 First Class games” is the criteria to be appointed to the (men’s) Junior Cricket Committee.

However, the last point (45. Amendment and repeal) does not appear too tight. “These Rules and Regulations of the BCCI shall not be repealed, added to, amended or altered except when passed and adopted by a 3/4th majority of the members present and entitled to vote at a Special General Meeting of the General Body convened for the purpose or at the Annual General Meeting,” it says.

Now, the quorum for SGM or AGM in the 30-full member body is 10, of which eight can vote to amend the rules. In case of a full house, it would take 23 voters to swing things.

The illustrations listed out in Conflict of Interest (Point 38) appear to have been based on past episodes involving former BCCI president N. Srinivasan, Sunil Gavaskar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Ravi Shastri.

(i) Illustration 4 reads: “F is President of the BCCI. His son-in-law is a Team Official of a Franchisee. F is hit by Conflict of Interest.”

(iii) Illustration 2: B is a BCCI commentator. He also runs a sports management company which contracts members of the team. B is hit by Conflict of Interest

Illustration 4: “D is a team captain. He is also co-owner of a sports management agency which is contracted to manage other team members. D is hit by Conflict of Interest. Illustration 5: “E is a member of the IPL Governing Council. He is engaged by a cricket broadcaster to act as an IPL commentator. E is hit by Conflict of Interest.”