In an exclusive interview to DNA, Dalmiya says that the controversy was sorted out earlier, and that this story has been spread for personal gains
Jagmohan Dalmiya was pleased. With good reason. A two-month lead time to rebuild. DNA spoke to him late Friday evening
What is your view of coach Greg Chappell’s email about Sourav Ganguly?
I haven’t seen the mail, but I have heard about it. I don’t think it is anything to worry about. It should just be a part of that earlier misunderstanding between them. I think the mail came before the matter was sorted out. But there is a review meeting on September 27, let us see.
Do you think this disclosure will create a further rift?
It can definitely be sorted out. This is not a very good example, but I look at them like two children who have had a spat. They say, “Shush, mujhse baat mat karo (don’t talk to me)”, but start talking again. As far as I’m concerned, this matter was sorted out earlier, and this story has been spread for personal gains.
So, an “amicable” solution with the Pawar camp?
There’s nothing amicable about it. In the last two days, the best-administered cricket body looked like it was suffering from bankruptcy of quality administrators. Every year, they’re becoming a tamasha. In fact, they seem to have been played out more in the courtroom than the boardroom. If we have two months in hand, we can create some workable procedures, so that these issues don’t recur.
There is a view that the Pawar camp was gaining strength.
I’m surprised that people felt like that. We were in the majority from the beginning. People had taken my goodness for weakness. We could have finished them off. But this wasn’t about going one-up. The reason why I postponed the elections was to make those changes I spoke about. Otherwise this chaos will recur next year.
Why did you have a problem with the judges?
See, on September 21, one observer was appointed. Then I don’t know what happened between then and 22nd. There was no reason for them to be appointed. It showed a vote of no-confidence against the first judge. And while I don’t want to elaborate on this, two people in three can take a decision.
Sharad Pawar and N Sreenivasan are in the marketing committee. Is that a part of the compromise formula?
(Laughs) Look, Sreenivasan was earlier chairman of the finance committee. At the least, he could have been made a member. As far as Mr Pawar is concerned, I was told that the marketing committee needed heavyweights, what with the fight for television rights. So I jokingly told the committee that Mr Pawar and Mr Arun Jaitley were heavyweights in every way!
Too much dirty linen is being washed in public. Is that good for the game?
I am trying to stop it. Like I said, the AGM isn’t the arena to go one-up. In fact, many people were trying to provoke me by saying that the other party is superior to me. So I said, yes, everybody is superior to me. (Laughs again)
What is the agenda for the next two months? Cricket or administration?
They aren’t mutually exclusive. They will go on simultaneously. And both require administration.
Do you think Indian cricket is going through its worst phase?
Cricket hasn’t suffered for the last one year. And my experience tells me that the next six months are going to be good. However, I can’t predict anything…
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