Mani admits player workloads a major issue

Ehsan Mani: 'We've got to make sure boards balance the amount of cricket players are playing with the money they are making' © Getty Images

Identifying the increasing workload on cricketers as one of the biggest challenges for cricket administrators, Ehsan Mani, the outgoing ICC president, has pointed to a lack communication between boards eager to fill gaps in the Future Tours Programmes (FTP) and their players as a major problem.

In an exclusive interview with Cricinfo, due to be published tomorrow, Mani said that the real worry from the increase in matches in offshore venues was the demands they were making on players. "The real worry from this development is player workload. We've got to make sure boards balance the amount of cricket players are playing with the money they are making. That is going to be the bigger challenge from this development."

"When captains and senior players - and this has happened in India, Australia, England and Pakistan - are saying we need balance, we need more space between tours, that tells me there is a lack of communication between players and their boards. That is a worry.

"When we talk to boards, they tell us they do not fix tours without consulting their players. That happened recently in Pakistan where they pulled out of a possible triangular in India after the England tour - and quite sensibly too because they are going to the Champions Trophy in October. So boards are taking player wishes into account but it remains a concern so long as players complain. Countries try to fill gaps to generate money, but they've got to take into account the workload they are putting on their players."

In a wide-ranging interview as his tenure draws to a close, Mani also spoke about an achievement he has often said he is most proud of - bringing India and Pakistan back onto the cricket field. "Security concerns about Pakistan were a big issue. Within weeks of taking over, South Africa almost pulled out of a tour and I had to get them back. That was a huge challenge and the turning point of it was the South Africa tour.

"Once that was back on track, it also gave the Indians the confidence to tour Pakistan. I think Pakistan had always been willing to play but there were huge reservations in India, huge perceptions about what they would find if they came to Pakistan. Fortunately, as I always expected, once the crowds turned up they would find that reality was totally different to what they were led to believe. That has done a huge amount, far beyond the game, in putting the relationship between the two countries back on track."

Having taken over with the reputation of a keen expansionist - he once said he would like to see the USA participating in the 2007 World Cup - much of Mani's time was also spent dealing with crises in various existing members, foremost among them Zimbabwe and Kenya.

While he praised the Kenya has handled its administrative crisis, he warned that there would be no fast-track for Zimbabwe back into Test cricket. "They lost 15-20 of their top cricketers. No country can sustain a loss like that. These things go in cycles and yes, obviously Zimbabwe needs a lot of time before they return to Tests. That is going to be the challenge in coming years."

But he reiterated that, despite the criticism the ICC received for their handling of the situation in Zimbabwe, there was little else they could have done. "We are governed very much by our constitution. We have the responsibility to manage affairs at international level. It is only when things start impacting the international game that we move in. This is what we have done each time.

"The ICC will move and I didn't hesitate to move when I thought the integrity of Test cricket was at stake. I'm sure that is what will happen in the future. Whether I could have done anything differently, I don't think constitutionally I could have."

Mani also bemoaned the failure of players today to walk at decisions and cited this as one of the reasons why the role of umpires with regards to technology is constantly questioned. "I don¹t believe umpires will ever become redundant if you look at the use of technology as a way of assisting umpires rather than working against or undermining them. It would help a great deal, for me personally, if players walk when they know they are out. That doesn't happen anymore which is sad. I would urge any player around the world to walk, if they know they are out. They don¹t do that and it creates a lot of pressure on the umpire."

Mani is due to step down from his post on July 7 and give way to South African Percy Sonn.