Want BCCI to become more system-driven - Shirke
BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke talks about his goal to make the board more transparent and explains why he supported the Lodha panel's recommendation to legalise betting
Nagraj Gollapudi
30-May-2016
Ajay Shirke: The ambition or a goal that I have set for the BCCI is for the board to become more process and system-driven. That is also the aim of the BCCI president [Anurag Thakur] • AFP
Last week, Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke was nominated to the post of BCCI secretary by newly elected board president Anurag Thakur. Shirke had served as the board's treasurer in 2012-13, before he resigned to protest the BCCI's handling of the IPL 2013 corruption scandal. Shirke agrees he is an aberration in the BCCI's secretive system but believes in creating an accountable structure. In an interview with ESPNcricinfo on the eve of the IPL 2016 final, he outlined his vision to make the board's functioning more transparent.
You have been BCCI treasurer. You are well-entrenched in the board's working, but it must be a difficult time to take over as board secretary?
What is difficult? The BCCI has been delivering its primary product efficiently despite all the so-called inefficiencies, court cases, scams. The BCCI has still delivered cricket. In all these 20 months of heightened controversy not a single match has been affected, not a single domestic tournament has been affected, no cricketer has suffered by want of non-payment, three board elections have happened smoothly, a World Twenty20 was organised, the IPL just concluded. So the perception of the board being at an all-time low does not, in my opinion, truly represent the abilities and qualities of the BCCI. By no stretch of imagination should you interpret this as me saying the BCCI has no issues or problems. We have [problems] and we are aware of that.
What is difficult? The BCCI has been delivering its primary product efficiently despite all the so-called inefficiencies, court cases, scams. The BCCI has still delivered cricket. In all these 20 months of heightened controversy not a single match has been affected, not a single domestic tournament has been affected, no cricketer has suffered by want of non-payment, three board elections have happened smoothly, a World Twenty20 was organised, the IPL just concluded. So the perception of the board being at an all-time low does not, in my opinion, truly represent the abilities and qualities of the BCCI. By no stretch of imagination should you interpret this as me saying the BCCI has no issues or problems. We have [problems] and we are aware of that.
You have been openly reluctant to return to the BCCI. Why then did you decide to come back?
A week ago I did not think that I would be the BCCI secretary (laughs). There were certain people, including the BCCI president [Thakur] and Shashank Manohar, who said I should come back and contribute to the board. Manohar has been my old friend. I know him through his father. We all are cut from the same cloth. He has been an upright and forthright administrator and I would like to follow him in his footsteps.
A week ago I did not think that I would be the BCCI secretary (laughs). There were certain people, including the BCCI president [Thakur] and Shashank Manohar, who said I should come back and contribute to the board. Manohar has been my old friend. I know him through his father. We all are cut from the same cloth. He has been an upright and forthright administrator and I would like to follow him in his footsteps.
How much has the BCCI administration changed in the years you have been involved in cricket?
It has undergone quite a lot of change. The BCCI is an increasingly complex organisation. Look at what the BCCI does as a cricketing body objectively. We do not take public funding. The game that we administer, we may not be No. 1 but we are a respected team across formats. We have been successful at unearthing and delivering young, fresh talent year after year. We have one of the largest infrastructure anywhere in the world, from state to district level. So [there is a big gap in] the perception of what the board is and what the board actually is.
It has undergone quite a lot of change. The BCCI is an increasingly complex organisation. Look at what the BCCI does as a cricketing body objectively. We do not take public funding. The game that we administer, we may not be No. 1 but we are a respected team across formats. We have been successful at unearthing and delivering young, fresh talent year after year. We have one of the largest infrastructure anywhere in the world, from state to district level. So [there is a big gap in] the perception of what the board is and what the board actually is.
We, the BCCI, don't have any powers. We can only counsel and educate. We don't have any policing powers. So legalising betting is one of the biggest recommendations of the Lodha Committee.
You have always been a forward-thinking administrator. An example of that is the infrastructure and systems you created at MCA. What kind of model for growth do you have in mind now as board secretary?
The ambition or a goal that I have set for the BCCI is for the board to become more process and system-driven. That is also the aim of the BCCI president. The very first thing he announced was the board would like to appoint a coach by advertising for the job. We are working on criteria for selection now. We would not like the board members to go to the micro decision-making. All of this would be referred to a cricket advisory system, which would comprise cricket experts. They can advise us. So the whole process and decision-making is actually transparent, not just talked about of being transparent.
The ambition or a goal that I have set for the BCCI is for the board to become more process and system-driven. That is also the aim of the BCCI president. The very first thing he announced was the board would like to appoint a coach by advertising for the job. We are working on criteria for selection now. We would not like the board members to go to the micro decision-making. All of this would be referred to a cricket advisory system, which would comprise cricket experts. They can advise us. So the whole process and decision-making is actually transparent, not just talked about of being transparent.
You have never believed in ad-hoc decisions, which sits in complete contrast to the way things have moved at BCCI. Will you adapt or will you make the members adapt?
I have just taken over. I come from a position where I don't know anything. I am starting from the scratch. I have gone through the daily attendance registers of everybody who comes to the BCCI office. I have just met umpires in the last few days and will be meeting more. I have met the handicap cricket association, I have met officials from women's cricket. We want to build up systems [of accountability] from the bottom to the top. I am not defending the board in any way, but when I scrutinise the structure the BCCI, it has some excellent systems. Improvement is a course correction.
I have just taken over. I come from a position where I don't know anything. I am starting from the scratch. I have gone through the daily attendance registers of everybody who comes to the BCCI office. I have just met umpires in the last few days and will be meeting more. I have met the handicap cricket association, I have met officials from women's cricket. We want to build up systems [of accountability] from the bottom to the top. I am not defending the board in any way, but when I scrutinise the structure the BCCI, it has some excellent systems. Improvement is a course correction.
Referring to the Lodha committee recommendations, you said one cannot reinvent the wheel. What are the key areas you feel within the BCCI structure and way of functioning that need reforms?
Every process of decision-making, any policy we finalise, has to be arrived by due deliberation. All the cricket-driven processes should be advised to us by a very empowered and holistic group of cricketers. Let us say we will get 100 applications for the coach's positions. It is not my intention to do that for ticking a box - that we advertise, but we have appointed you because we have already decided. As office bearers we should not be involved in deciding these things. All this should be covered in the vision document, which I expect the president to come up with shortly, where he sees the BCCI in the short to long term.
Every process of decision-making, any policy we finalise, has to be arrived by due deliberation. All the cricket-driven processes should be advised to us by a very empowered and holistic group of cricketers. Let us say we will get 100 applications for the coach's positions. It is not my intention to do that for ticking a box - that we advertise, but we have appointed you because we have already decided. As office bearers we should not be involved in deciding these things. All this should be covered in the vision document, which I expect the president to come up with shortly, where he sees the BCCI in the short to long term.
Did the Lodha committee meet you?
Yes, they called me. I was with them for a whole day. I strongly supported their recommendation on legalising betting and even provided them supporting documents. We, the BCCI, don't have any powers. We can only counsel and educate. We don't have any policing powers. So legalising betting is one of the biggest recommendations of the Lodha committee.
Yes, they called me. I was with them for a whole day. I strongly supported their recommendation on legalising betting and even provided them supporting documents. We, the BCCI, don't have any powers. We can only counsel and educate. We don't have any policing powers. So legalising betting is one of the biggest recommendations of the Lodha committee.
Is this cricket advisory system, as you call it, different to the cricket advisory committee appointed last year comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman?
This cricket advisory will eventually form into a committee. It is early to commit on who all will sit on this committee. It would certainly be made up of reputed cricketers and will not be ad-hoc. It would serve a long-term role and would be a professional committee. This panel will study and offer views on everything cricket in India at all levels - appointment of coaches, umpires, development of cricket, what do we do with the NCA, how we modernise the cricketing infrastructure. Those experts have to contribute on all these and many more cricketing issues. We, the BCCI members, have to merely sit as board of directors, and accept the suggestions of these experts. Our job is to implement.
This cricket advisory will eventually form into a committee. It is early to commit on who all will sit on this committee. It would certainly be made up of reputed cricketers and will not be ad-hoc. It would serve a long-term role and would be a professional committee. This panel will study and offer views on everything cricket in India at all levels - appointment of coaches, umpires, development of cricket, what do we do with the NCA, how we modernise the cricketing infrastructure. Those experts have to contribute on all these and many more cricketing issues. We, the BCCI members, have to merely sit as board of directors, and accept the suggestions of these experts. Our job is to implement.
Can you talk about whether a decision has been taken to conduct a tournament on the lines of a mini-IPL?
I am not aware of any such decision having been officially taken. I am not saying that it may or may not [happen], but there may be many issues to be looked into before such a decision can be taken. Availability of players, contract obligations with the broadcaster has to be considered first.
I am not aware of any such decision having been officially taken. I am not saying that it may or may not [happen], but there may be many issues to be looked into before such a decision can be taken. Availability of players, contract obligations with the broadcaster has to be considered first.
Nagraj Gollapudi is a senior assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo