The big news: BCCI struggles to find ground

The Justice RM Lodha committee has decided not to communicate with the Board of Control for Cricket in India until it implements the recommended reforms approved by the Supreme Court, reported Hindustan Times.

On October 21, the apex court told the board that it cannot take any major financial decisions until it implements the recommendations of the panel. The board, which continues to defy the court order, took a huge blow last month after it was forced to cancel the bidding process for the media rights of the Indian Premier League.

The latest decision by the Lodha panel leaves the BCCI’s functioning in more chaos as it will not be able to finalise various contracts for international series at home.

In its October 21 order, the court instructed BCCI President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke to appear before the panel by November 3 to explain the steps they have taken to implement the panel’s recommendations. “The BCCI president and secretary haven’t appeared before the panel yet and we have also not called them so far,” Justice Lodha told HT. “We wanted the president to first give us an undertaking on behalf of the BCCI that they would comply with the order of the Supreme Court.”

Other top stories

  1. A few days after the BCCI had written to state associations asking whether they will be able to afford to host the England team without the board's help, a few associations have shared their reluctance to bear their entire expense. “We’ve already written to the board it should directly pay the hotel bills and daily allowances instead of we making the payment and getting reimbursed. If we spend now, getting it back is uncertain,” Saurashtra Cricket Association secretary Niranjan Shah told The New Indian Express. Even the Tamil Nadu Cricket board will write a letter regarding the same.
  2. West Indies need 39 runs to beat Pakistan in the third Test in Sharjah. Pakistan, on the other hand, need five wickets, which is unlikely to happen given that Kraigg Brathwaite (44 not out) is still at the crease.
  3. The Indian squad for the first two Tests against England was announced with Gautam Gambhir retaining his spot owing to an injured Shikhar Dhawan. Karun Nair was also recalled in place of Rohit Sharma. Hardik Pandya was the surprise addition to the squad, the all-rounder earning his maiden Test call-up.
  4. Security concerns involving England’s Pakistani-origin players Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid were dismissed after Reg Dickason, England's security advisor, played down their concerns for their tour of India, reported ESPNcricinfo. Media reports emerged that Pakistan umpire Aleem Dar would not stand in the series because of the further potential for nationalist protests. However, those rumours were put to rest as Dar was never in contention to umpire the Indian series.
  5. Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe by 225 runs in the first Test, with Rangana Herath and Dilruwan Perera taking three wickets apiece to dismiss the hosts for 186 in the second innings. It was an easy win in the end of the Lankans, who will face Zimbabwe in the second Test on November 6 in Harare.
  6. Former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood was appointed as the team’s bowling coach for a period of two years. His term begins with the first Test of the New Zealand tour on November 17, reported ESPNcricinfo.