MPCA president Jagdale to promote junior cricket

In May last year, while resigning as the BCCI secretary at the height of the raging IPL betting-fixing controversy, Sanjay Jagdale had vowed never to return to cricket administration, though he was not involved anyway in the scandal. He had said that dealing with the police etc. was not his cup of tea.

Now, that Jagdale, elected unopposed president of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) on Sunday, has been "forced" back into administration, he's keen to develop infrastructure at the grassroots level and play a big hand in the state team's transition.

"First of all, I was not really interested in it. I was literally forced into it by our cricketers. Everyone, including [Jyotiraditya] Scindia ji, said that I should come in for at least two years. I agreed because a scenario emerged that there would be no election," Jagdale, a former MPCA secretary, told MAIL TODAY.

A former national selector and Madhya Pradesh Ranji Trophy captain, Jagdale, 63, didn't have to contest as the opposition decided against fielding candidates for any position. Scindia was elected chairman.

"It'll now take some time to assess and decide what has to be done and where," Jagdale said, generally speaking. However, when asked specifically, he said his focus would be on developing the game at the lowest level.

"More than the administration, I'd be helping the MPCA to develop a new team. Basically, I'd be more involved in cricketing matters. I'd be focussing more on the grassroots level and the districts to upgrade facilities and infrastructure there," he said, outlining his priorities.

"Madhya Pradesh team has been doing very well for last six-seven years. The progress has been good. But I'll try to go down to the grassroots level and the district level," he emphasised. "I'd like to focus on the playing facilities, coaching, and tournaments."

Jagdale, who has a clean image, said that changes would be effected in the Madhya Pradesh Ranji team in the upcoming season.

"Most probably, we'll be starting the reshuffling, the rebuilding process this year, as the [players'] lot is changing. We'll be trying to develop fresh talent. There are a lot of seniors who are on the verge of retirement," he said without revealing names. "We've sent an under-23 team to Australia to gain exposure. It's not the Ranji Trophy team, but it comprises some Ranji players."

As Scindia, a member of Parliament, is mostly busy elsewhere, Jagdale would largely have to oversee the administration too. "I've to develop a new team of administrators; the next generation of administrators. That's another target of mine," he pointed out.

MPCA is aggrieved that it was not allotted an ODI during the upcoming series against the West Indies. "I was totally out of it [administration]. But I'll definitely take it up with the authorities [in the BCCI]," he said.

The opposition group surprisingly decided against contesting at the MPCA AGM. Instead, when BJP's state Urban Administration & Housing-Environment minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, proposed Scindia's name as president, some members were surprised. Scindia then proposed Jagdale's name as president and the opposition didn't object again.

Vijayvargiya had lost two successive bitterly-fought elections to Scindia for the MPCA's top post, so it was all the more surprising.