Gag order on Indian captain

With the Board of Control for Cricket in India all set to adopt the new code of conduct, the pressure is going to be immense on the players, team officials and umpires. And the latest to feel the heat of the new stringest measures is the captain of the Indian team.

In the past, the captain was not exactly within the ambit of the agreement signed prior to any tour. Now, in what is seen as a virtual gag order, the Indian captain will henceforth be barred from talking to the media on his own. The captain will not comment on play in any of the matches except with the permission of the manager, according to a draft agreement prepared by the BCCI. The captains will be required to sign the agreement.

However, the captain is permitted to request the manager to convene a press conference at which both of them will be present. The captain can then address the conference on the day's play. That's about the only concession he enjoys.

The agreement, which forms part of the code of conduct, will be finalised at a meeting of BCCI's three-member committee in Mumbai on July 24 before being submitted to Union Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa in New Delhi on August 1.

The draft agreement is silent on the use of cellular phones but stipulates that the captain shall not invite, without the consent of the manager, any person to his room, dressing room or any mode of transport reserved exclusively for the use of the players and officials.

The captain is also not permitted to invite any person to travel with the team, nor can he allow any relative or friend to stay in his room or in the hotel without the prior permission of the manager.

The agreement stipulates that the captain shall carry out all the orders and directions given by the manager off the field and shall not leave the team except on non-match days to visit friends and relatives without the prior permission of the manager.

The captain shall not act or cause any act to be done or be guilty of any act or commission or conduct which may render him or any player of the team unfit or incapable to play in any other matches and shall not without permission of the manager take part in any sports discipline other than cricket.

In consideration of the engagement and in the interests of the team building and of his availability for future selection, the agreement requires the captain not to enter into any agreement to play cricket for any team other than India for a period of 12 months without the written consent of the board.

If the manager's report on the captain is not satisfactory, the board may determine the sum payable to him be not paid wholly or in part. The board will be the sole authority in this matter and its decision will be binding on the captain.

The board will have the power to set up a disciplinary committee to take action for any act or misconduct or breach of any conditions in the agreement after holding an enquiry and giving the captain an opportunity to be heard and cite any witness on his behalf.

If found guilty, the captain will be debarred from participating in any tournament conducted by the board besides facing any other punishment the committee may deem fit. To sell or permit the sale of his autograph or complimentary passes, the agreement says, the captain will need the manager's permission.

Similarly, he will need clearance for appearing at any place of public or private entertainment, participate in making of records or films, appear on television or deliver talks or lectures. At nets, the captain cannot employ a ground-bowler without the consent of the manager.

As a sop, however, the board will take steps to insure the captain for Rs five lakh against air travel risk and injuries during play and accidents on a tour.