Decision on CSK, Royals high on BCCI's agenda

Only the second working committee meeting of the new BCCI dispensation, to be held in Kolkata on Friday evening, has a lot on its platter. From ratifying changes in the domestic cricket structure to discussing new affiliation committee's requests to stamping central contracts for women cricketers and finalising venue and time of the annual general meeting, the 14-point agenda mentions plenty of important issues. But the spotlight will likely be on the two points - the Lodha Committee report and the working group report - relating to the suspension of the owners of two IPL teams in July.

The meeting is also a chance for Jagmohan Dalmiya - who will be in the chair for the second time in this current term - to assure members he is fit enough to serve the remaining two years of his tenure. Sharad Pawar will be present to assess the mood of the members just in case Dalmiya decides to step down before the next month's AGM. N Srinivasan will be present as the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association president, mainly to make a case informally for continuing as ICC chairman after next month's AGM. Shashank Manohar, another former BCCI chief, politely turned down an invitation to attend the meeting citing professional commitments.

Here are the important issues the working committee has on its plate.

The working committee, being the managing body of the BCCI, is expected to pass a resolution accepting the Lodha Committee's decision to suspend the owners of Chennai and Jaipur franchises in its entirety. BCCI's legal advisor Ushanath Banerjee will explain to the committee the intricacies of the Lodha Committee's order.

Banerjee, along with BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur and IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, will then present the findings of the working group to the committee. The group, comprising Shukla, Thakur, BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, Sourav Ganguly and Banerjee, was formed on July 20 to chalk out the roadmap for IPL's future conduct. The likeliest of the options - of inviting bids for new owners for two or ten years - will be discussed threadbare before arriving at a conclusion.

If the working committee decides to invite bids for two new owners, the tenure of the agreement and base price will have to be decided. Besides, the option of a 10-team IPL from 2018 will also have to be carefully examined.

Despite the Madras High Court declining to stay Chennai Super Kings' suspension, considering that the case is now going to be heard on September 23, the working committee may decide its future course of action subject to the outcome of the court case.

Finding Duncan Fletcher's successor doesn't feature in the agenda, but is set to be discussed in "other matters" that would arise towards the end of the meeting.

For almost six months now, India do not have a head coach, with Ravi Shastri being in charge as the team director. Despite being assured of a long-term contract, Shastri, along with the three assistant coaches, has been working on a series-by-series basis. The working committee may be briefed about the BCCI's latest intention to rope in separate head coaches for Tests and limited-overs' formats.

The working committee may well be told that the prospective candidates will soon be interviewed and the new coach(es) be finalised during next month's AGM.

Over the last month, the BCCI has sent a string of communications to its member units, demanding no conflict of interest declaration and greater accountability when it comes to utilising monetary grant.

Four BCCI members, however, haven't yet signed the declaration, seeking more clarity about the scope of the declaration, especially on player-turned-administrators.

Just like the coach issue, it is not listed on the agenda since none of the members who haven't yet signed it has made a written complaint. However, at least two of those members, including Srinivasan's TNCA, are set to bring up the matter towards the end of the meeting.

Second on the priority list will be to see ratification of various decisions of the BCCI sub-committees, including technical committee revising the format of domestic one-day and T20 tournaments, umpires' appointments, playing conditions for the domestic season, and schedule of the forthcoming home international season drawn by the tour and programme and fixtures committee.

The most important cricket-related discussion, however, will be on whether to move NCA out of Bangalore or not. Despite the NCA board shortlisting Pune, Mohali and Dharamsala as alternatives to Bangalore, Pune has already opted out. If the NCA is moved away from Karnataka, members would oppose Dharamsala, the home of BCCI secretary Thakur, citing accessibility problems and extreme weather conditions. It could well be Mohali's gain and Bangalore's loss in that case.

Besides ratifying the broadcast deal with Paytm and the statement of accounts, to be finalised by the finance committee earlier on Friday, the working committee will also confirm the finance committee's earlier decision to award centralised contracts to women cricketers. It will be the first time India's women cricketers will be handed annual retainers. Besides, the working committee may also consider a possibility of revising compensation to senior men cricketers.