NEW DELHI: The winds of change are blowing thick and fast in the world’s richest and most powerful cricketing body. After using its financial might and monopoly on the game’s administration to throttle all attempts by players to form a representative association over the years, the Supreme Court’s intervention means that this will soon become a reality, as is the case in the rest of the cricketing world.
Former India women’s team captain Diana Edulji, who was named Monday by the Supreme Court as one of four administrators to run the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) till elections are called, has stated that one of her two areas of particular focus will be the formation of a potent players’ association that will enable cricketers, both men and women, of all age groups to raise their concerns.
“If you go by the Lodha Panel recommendations, players association is a must even in state bodies, whose apex council must have a male and a female players’ representative,” Edulji told Calcutta Telegraph.
Edulji’s other focus area will be on the promotion of women’s cricket, a cause she has championed over the years.
“I know most of the women’s teams don’t play Test cricket, but England and Australia still play a lot of longer format matches. If it means that India only play these two countries, so be it. But Test matches for women should increase. It’s good that women have graded payment system now, but that also needs to be streamlined,” Edulji told the newspaper.
Edulji is known for being outspoken and was an instrumental figure in forcing the BCCI to introduce contracts for women cricketers last year.
“I was asked by amicus curae Gopal Subramanium whether I would like to be a part and I had said ‘yes’. I was expecting a role, but I was surprised after being named in the administrators’ panel. It is a huge responsibility given to me by the apex court and I will like to do justice to it,” Edulji told the Telegraph here Monday.
For the record, the four-member panel is headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Vinod Rai and also includes historian Ramachandra Guha and IDFC Bank managing director Vikram Limayei.
One of the doyens of women’s cricket in India, Edulji had played 20 Tests between 1976 and 1991, apart from 34 ODIs.
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