The momentous task ahead of Howard
Suresh Menon is of the opinion that John Howard's impending tenure as the ICC president from 2012 could be crucial to the evolution of the game
Nitin Sundar
25-Feb-2013
Suresh Menon is of the opinion that John Howard's impending tenure as the ICC president from 2012 could be crucial to the evolution of the game. Writing in dreamcricket.com, Menon believes that Howards' diplomacy in reinstating ICC as the foremost body in the game, while not alienating India, the game's financial power-house, demands the vision to look beyond bottom-lines.
It will be interesting to see how India react to the appointment of Howard. His track record as a supporter of apartheid and white rule in Zimbabwe is well known. That alone could bring him into conflict with India, especially if his unstated brief is to create just such a conflict and put India in their place. The Test cricket world can be split five and four on the basis of colour if we leave Zimbabwe out for the moment (but Howard can’t, the ICC will have to deal with that country).
But ultimately, the cricketing world will not be ruled by either colour of skin or political convenience, but something more basic – money. Keeping India happy has been on the ICC agenda for a few years now, ever since Jagmohan Dalmiya showed the body how it could make money if only it knew how to market itself.
Nitin Sundar is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo