Board of Control for Cricket in India President Anurag Thakur refused to comment on whether the ongoing India-New Zealand series would continue but stated on Monday that the board could not function without money in the wake of the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha Panel directing banks from stopping disbursements of BCCI funds.
After the Lodha panel's latest demand, there have been murmurs of the ongoing India-New Zealand series being cancelled. Thakur refused to comment on the situation, but instead chose to talk about the pay discrepancies that would crop up with the players and the respective state associations.
"I can't talk about whether series will go on or not but if players and associations are not paid, it raises serious at a time when the team is No. 1 in Tests, No. 2 in Twenty20 Internationals, No. 3 in One Day Internationals. It's the most powerful Board. We have created a successful tournament like IPL. We can't run the game without money," Thakur told PTI.
Thakur called the current situation "unfortunate", and claimed that the the board makes its own money, "BCCI does not take any money from outside whether it's central or state government. Banks were told not to release payments. It is unfortunate that such a situation has arisen. Has BCCI not done anything at all these years, these questions need to be answered," Thakur added.
Thakur hit out on another Lodha recommendation, wherein banks which held BCCI's accounts were asked not to disburse large sums to the state associations. The 41-year-old slammed the decision. "Questions are being raised about BCCI when we have increased the Test cricketers match fee from Rs 7 lakh to Rs 15 lakh," said the BCCI president. "Most state units are unsure how they will be able to host games in this home season. They need to decide whether they can host the games or not, with or without money."
The Lodha committee though, responded to the matter, stating that they had not asked the banks to freeze the BCCI accounts, and that there would be no hindrance to the smooth functioning of games, "We have not frozen the accounts of BCCI, we have directed the BCCI to not disburse funds to the state association. Day to day affairs, routine expenditure, matches, games, that should go on. There is absolutely no prohibition," Lodha said.