Ramachandra Guha alleges N Srinivasan, Amit Shah are running BCCI effectively

Ramachandra Guha, the acclaimed historian and former member of the Committee of Administrators (COA), has recently claimed that nepotism is steeped in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

The 62-year-old appointed as one of the four members of the COA by the Supreme Court to run the BCCI in January 2017. But six months later, he had resigned from the committee which was tasked with ensuring transparency in the administration of the BCCI.

In his new book, “The Commonwealth of Cricket: A Lifelong Love Affair with the Most Subtle and Sophisticated Game Known to Humankind”, Guha gave his insight on his stint in the cricket administration of the country.

Guha, in an interview with Mid-Day, criticized the board and said that the BCCI is yet to adopt the reforms “that were hoped”.

“N Srinivasan and Amit Shah are effectively running Indian cricket today. The state associations are run by



somebody’s daughter, somebody’s son,” Guha told Mid-Day.

“The board is steeped in intrigue and nepotism and there are great delays in paying Ranji Trophy players their dues. The reforms that were hoped for have not happened.”

Guha also took a shot at former India captain Sourav Ganguly for his role in endorsing a fantasy game despite being the board’s president.

“Not the biggest bane; it is a bane. Look at Ganguly today — head of the board and representing some cricket fantasy game. This kind of greed for money among Indian cricketers is shocking,” he said.

“The most telling story in my book is about Bishan Singh Bedi saying that he is happy to go to Kabul [to coach Afghan cricketers] — anywhere for cricket and not anywhere for money. Why should Ganguly be doing all these things for a little extra money? Ethical standards go down if the president of the board behaves like this,” he added.