ICC cannot deal directly with Indian players - Shah

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has rejected the ICC's offer to speak directly to the Indian players regarding the Members Participation Agreement (MPA).

David Richardson, the ICC general manager, cricket operations, had suggested that the ICC be allowed to deal directly with the Indian players regarding issues concerning them.

"It has been made clear to the ICC that they cannot deal directly with the Indian players," Niranjan Shah, the BCCI secretary told PTI. "They have to come through the board."

Shah added that the Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh cricket boards expressed similar reservations on the ICC dealing directly with players.

"Not only the BCCI, but Sri Lanka Cricket, the Pakistan Cricket Board and the Bangladesh Cricket Board have said at the recent ICC meeting that on any issue related to the players, the ICC has to approach the boards first. As per norms in international cricket administration, any issue that concerns a player has to addressed through the respective board. Similarly, any relevant matter raised by the players is communicated to the ICC by the board concerned."

The MPA lays down guidelines and restrictions that the players must follow for ICC events, including those that deal with ambush marketing. While almost all the other ICC members are ready to sign the MPA, the BCCI announced last week that it would not do so it in its present form because it affected its commercial interests.

Percy Sonn, the ICC president, had cautioned India that its chances of being the co-hosts of the 2011 World Cup could be jeopardised if they refused to comply with the MPA but hoped that an agreement would be reached. However, Shah said that the BCCI wasn't very concerned, as the event is still five years away. He added that a letter had already been sent to the ICC, detailing India's stand on the MPA.