Board of Control for Cricket in India Secretary Ajay Shirke has written to the England and Wales Cricket Board to bear its own expenses, including "hotel, travel and various other arrangements", during the three-month tour of India. In a letter addressed to the ECB, Shirke has written that the BCCI cannot sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the English board because it is not allowed to enter into contracts without the direction of the Supreme Court-appointed Justice Lodha committee.
When the BCCI contacted the Lodha committee to get its nod for the MoU, the panel replied stating that decisions regarding payments could only be taken if the board disclosed details about the transactions, stated an ESPNcricinfo report.
The letter, signed by Shirke and addressed to ECB Secretary Phil Neale, read, "Dear Phil, I warmly welcome you for the upcoming cricket series. I am however at great pains to inform you that the BCCI is at present not in a position to execute the MoU between the Indian Cricket Board and the ECB. This is due to restrictions on execution of contracts imposed on the BCCI by a Court order.”
The letter added, “A Committee has been appointed that is also to oversee financial transactions of the BCCI. The BCCI has referred this issue to the Committee appointed by the Supreme Court (Lodha Committee) on 28.10.2016 itself and sought urgent permission for execution of the MoU. Thereafter I have also sent the hon’ble Committee a request again today. However, the Committee while seeking further details a short while ago earlier today, has not yet granted us this permission.”
Shirke said that the BCCI cannot commit to paying for England's tour expenses until the MoU is signed. "Certain courtesies such as hotel, travel and various other arrangements have been extended to you on arrival of the team in India. However, till the MoU is executed, the BCCI is not in a position to commit to paying for the same. Please make arrangements to remit such payments,” the letter said.