BCCI puts off decision on Bindra

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Monday put off possible action on its former President IS Bindra for his 'outbursts' against the board and left it to a special general body meeting to take a final decision on the issue.

"We have called a special general body meeting in Chennai on February 23 to go through the findings of the Disciplinary Committee on Mr Bindra and Punjab Cricket Association, and take a decision on it," Board President AC Muthiah told reporters in New Delhi.

Muthiah said the Working Committee was competent to announce a ban on players found guilty by the Disciplinary Committee, but for taking action against an administrator, the general body was needed.

The Working Committee today approved the itinerary for Australia's tour of India starting next month, an improved rotation policy for venues, a budget for the National Cricket Academy and India's Sharjah tour in April, besides ratifying the appointment of umpires for the three-Test and five-match one-day international home series against Australia.

With PCA's case still pending and arguably the country's best cricket stadium at Mohali falling out of favour, the BCCI today assured all the nine Test venues that they would also get a chance to host the one-dayers.

According to the new rotation policy, all the Test centres and ICC approved one-day venues will get an equal chance to host matches, Muthiah said.

The Board President said former Australian opener Geoff Marsh, who has been hired by the BCCI as a consultant, will arrive in India on January 29 and conduct an overall review of Indian cricket. "We wanted to have some outside opinion and since the Aussies are currently the world beating team, his views would help us," Muthiah said when asked whether Marsh's appointment was necessary.

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar, in a letter to the BCCI, had sought to know what role Marsh would be playing for Indian cricket. "He (Gavaskar) wanted to know what is the role of Marsh and we have explained to him.. Marsh's presence would not, in any way, impinge on the powers of the BCCI technical committee," Muthiah said.

The BCCI was expected to make a profit of over a crore from the Sharjah tri-nation tour also involving Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Muthiah said. The Board is expected to have an income of Rs 2.69 crore while its expenditure would be 1.69 crore, he said.

A budget of Rs 1.74 crore was sanctioned for the National Cricket Academy which includes a series of seminars and training sessions for coaches at different levels. The first such seminar will be held in Bangalore, Muthiah said.

On the issue of the appointment of a new director for the NCA and the resignation of Gavaskar as a member of the Academy, Muthiah said the Board was yet to take a decision on it. "Gavaskar has given his resignation and we have not yet accepted it. We will discuss it later," he said.

Law Minister Arun Jaitley, who is also the President of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, and newly-elected President of the Mumbai Cricket Association Sharad Pawar, were among those who attended the meeting.