BCCI finally goes the corporate way

The winds of change are blowing through the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) corridors. The so-called archaic structure will soon be replaced and a fresh set-up will be in place, with officials holding new designations. The corporatisation of Indian cricket may have begun.

“It is the corporatisation of India’s cricket management,” BCCI chief N Srinivasan said. The BCCI president has kick-started the process and the first step in this direction is the elimination of the Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO) post. Thus far, the CAO was looking after the board’s administration from the Cricket Centre in Mumbai.

Elimination of the CAO does not mean that Ratnakar Shetty, who has been holding the position for the last six years, will be out of the BCCI set-up. Shetty can choose any one of the five or six new posts: general manager cricket operations, general manager cricket development and general manager cricket administration.
Of the three posts, Shetty has chosen GM operations. This post will largely focus on the conduct of matches, both international and domestic.

One in charge of cricket development will deal with the academies, zonal and central, in short the National Cricket Academy. GM administration will be in charge of the day-to-day administrative affairs.

“Soon, we will have exclusive positions for legal and finance matters,” Srinivasan said. All the GMs will report to the BCCI secretary, he confirmed.

“Cricket administration is increasingly becoming a complex issue and we need to be equipped with the right personnel with clearly defined roles,” said a board official who didn’t want to be named.
New recruitments are unlikely though. Srinivasan said the BCCI will initially utilise the services of the existing staff and, if need be, could go for new recruitment.

As for Shetty, there had been speculation about his future. Thursday’s development should put an end to all the guesswork about his BCCI career.