The IPL Verdict: Indian Cricket’s Swachh Bharat Moment?

Two IPL teams suspended for 2 years. But it’s how the BCCI takes things forward that will be key for Indian cricket.

A member of the Chennai Super Kings outfit from the very first season, MS Dhoni and rest of the CSK players’ future in the league is now unknown. (Photo: PTI/BCCI)

• Opportunity to reform sports administration by professionalising it
• Satyam moment in Indian cricket with opportunity to set the system right
• BCCI failed to stem the rot on its own hence the courts had to step in
• Restore stakeholder confidence in the sport

Indian cricket’s tryst with destiny is here. This is the moment when Indian cricket could change forever.

What the Justice Lodha committee verdict has done is present a viable long-term solution to the way sport ought to be run in the country. Gone are the days of the ‘honorary loving the sport without any accountability’ officials. Here comes the opportunity to change the grammar of sports administration forever.

Justice R. M. Lodha, Chairman of the Supreme Court appointed Justice Lodha Committee, with Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice RV Raveendran at the announcement of the verdict. (Photo: PTI)

That’s the reason why Lodha panel’s biggest recommendations could well be on the systemic reforms of the BCCI. It is all very well to gloat over the banning of teams and owners, but it is the system which has allowed things to fester for so long. Target the system and then you can achieve greater efficiency in all sectors.

BCCI had for long been a proactive body willing to take action against erring players from Mohammed Azharuddin to Sreesanth. But when it came to taking action against the powers that be, the BCCI was found wanting.

At least in the case of the players the BCCI could turn around and say that it was the courts that had undone the bans, they cannot even seek solace in that in the verdict delivered by the Justice Lodha panel. It was clearly a missed opportunity to cleanse the system which the BCCI failed to avail, hence the courts had to step in and stem the rot.

File picture Chennai Super Kings’ official Gurunath Meiyappan with his father-in-law and ICC chief N Srinivasan. Meiyappan has been suspended for life from any cricketing activity. (Photo: PTI)

This could well be a Satyam moment in Indian cricket, where in one big power house was failed by its promoters and then the corporate bigwigs with integrity stepped in to set the system right.

Indian cricket could well be in that zone and may be presented as an example for all other sporting bodies. Getting in retired players to run the sport is not the solution. Rather, it is an opportunity to bring in corporate governance which will help deliver long-term stakeholder confidence. Above all, remember cricket is driven by the Indian viewer, if he/she loses interest then the sport itself can die prematurely.

“Players may be adjusted in other teams. But it is the delivery of justice that is most important,” writes the author. (Photo: PTI)

Stakeholder confidence will come through from visible action. The players will get adjusted in other teams or new teams as may be the case. But it is the delivery of justice that is most important. There is already talk of Kochi franchise being revived or new players being interested in stepping in for the cities that have lost out. It could well be a moment where the Hyderabad story is repeated with a new team being raised for the aggrieved cities. But that will be just cosmetic solution for the larger malaise.

The problem is not the tournament called Indian Premier League (IPL). That is a world class product which has captured the attention and imagination worldwide. It is as always the individuals who have failed the sport.

Cricket will survive this loss of confidence too, what it cannot survive is the continued presence of a failed system.