Sunil Gavaskar dropped for wanting higher pay, says he’ll work free

A day before the 81st annual general meeting of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), one official said it would be a boring affair.

But on Wednesday, it turned out to be an eventful one, witnessing firm decisions, overhauls, show cause notices, reconciliation and also wild bickering.

The two big developments were removal of Sunil Gavaskar from the governing council (GC) of the Indian Premier League (a possibility first reported by DNA on September 8: ‘Is Sunil Gavaskar on his way out of IPL governing council?’), and the return of Jagmohan Dalmiya to the BCCI mainstream.

Three IPL franchises were issued show cause notices. Rajasthan Royals, Kings XI Punjab and new entrants Kochi have been asked why the board should not scrap their teams. They have been given 10 days to respond. A board source said the charges against the teams are so strong that they face elimination from the IPL.

On a day the board revoked Dalmiya’s three-year expulsion, all doors were shut on Lalit Modi. BCCI president Shashank Manohar said Modi can no longer claim to be even ‘suspended chairman’ of the IPL.    

“We have made an amendment to the constitution and Chirayu Amin is the chairman for the next 12 months,” Manohar announced, indicating steps could be taken to initiate a criminal case against Modi. “We’re in possession of evidence which proves the criminality of Modi’s actions.”

Gavaskar was dropped from the GC after he reportedly told Manohar that former players in the body should be paid Rs5 crore a year. Manohar told the members that Gavaskar told him he was promised the sum by Modi. This would mean he is entitled to Rs25 crore for his five-year appointment. The members promptly rejected the demand, with Union minister for rural development and panchayats CP Joshi saying former players should be honorary members, not paid ones.

Two former players will be board members, Ravi Shastri being one of them. Manohar said Shastri has agreed to be an honorary member. The other slot is open.

Gavaskar also told Manohar that the IPL’s value has gone up because of his presence in the GC. Gavaskar told DNA he is not aware of the decision.

“I haven’t heard anything from anybody in the BCCI.”  He later told a TV channel that if the BCCI approaches him, he will work for free.

In other developments, Shastri has been replaced by Anil Kumble as the chairman of the National Cricket Academy, while Ranjib Biswal, Anurag Thakur and Ajay Shirke have been inducted into the GC. Modi aide IS Bindra, once a BCCI heavyweight, has been left out of the body.