On a sticky wicket

The BCCI-Supreme Court face-off, unfolding in the manner of a noir, is replete with twists and turns. With the apex court bent on making an opaque body — rife with nepotism — accountable and transparent, the latter is finding newer ways to circumvent the reforms thrust upon it. The latest plot twist in the intriguing saga is the BCCI constituting a seven-member team to resist the Court’s order to implement the Lodha Committee’s recommendations.

The Board’s intransigence is understandable. The clique that enjoyed the privileges and perks that accompanied unquestioned stints in power, now finds itself relegated to the margins. The five key areas of contention — in other words, the measures that clip the wings of the administrators — bolster that suspicion.

The Board always felt that a status quo works to its advantage because a system, bereft of accountability, is conducive to its self-serving agenda. It’s worth revisiting the resignation letter of eminent historian Ramachandra Guha who had served as a member of the SC-appointed committee. Guha, whose allegations carry considerable merit, had bared the Board’s double standards and a culture of favouritism that has long affected its style of functioning and bred corruption.

One thing is for sure: Regardless of the SC’s best intentions, the BCCI will continue to operate in ways it deems best. As is evident in the recent past, the cricket body has virtually made a mockery of the Court’s efforts to clean up the mess. Its seven-man squad is now set to play a wily game.