BCCI emergent working committee meet in Chennai today, Justice Mudgal report on table

Raman case 

Another key issue that will be discussed is the case of Sunder Raman, IPL’s chief operation officer, who has been named in the Mudgal report of having been in touch with a contact of a bookie during the first season. But if the initial reactions of the board, as voiced by its secretary Sanjay Patel, are anything to go by, it seems that Raman might not have much to fret. “I haven’t read the full report yet but the portion I’ve read says that. Sundar Raman had informed the matter to two Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) officials but didn’t mention it to anyone else,” Patel told Indian Express.

“Is that a crime? If you go to the police to report a misdoing, will you be hauled up for not going to the police commissioner! At the same time, let me make it clear, BCCI will spare none. We will seek clarification from Sundar Raman and if needed, action will be taken.”

The meeting will also see the board’s lawyers summarising the recent court developments and brief the board members of the likely ramifications. The board will also discuss whether the AGM should take place as scheduled originally to be on November 20. It’s an important decision, especially considering that Sharad Pawar, the man who has voiced his intent to contest Srinivasan for the post of BCCI president, won’t be attending Tuesday’s meeting but will definitely be there for that AGM, along with another former president Shashank Manohar.

Incidentally, the AGM has to happen so that the board accounts can be passed, which would facilitate the transfer of subsidies to the state associations, and also ensure that the staff of BCCI can get their pending bonuses.

QUESTIONS REMAIN 

The Mudgal Committee report has named N Srinivasan, Sundar Raman, Gurunath Meiyappan and Raj Kundra besides explaining the role played by them. But there has been references to two others whom the report has not named. This is what the report had to say about Individual 2 and 3.

It says that Gurunath Meiyappan was frequently meeting Individual 2 in his hotel room. “This strengthens the conclusion of the Committee in its report dated 10.2.2014 that Meiyappan was in close touch with Individual 2.”

Srinivasan along with four other BCCI officials was aware of the violation of the Players Code of Conduct by Individual 3, but no action was taken against Individual 3 by any of the aforesaid officials who were aware of this infraction.

If Gurunath Meiyappan is Individual 1 and Raj Kundra individual 11, the identity of individuals 2 to 10 remains under wraps.

Who is Sundar Raman, the IPL honcho

Raman’s believed to be Srinivasan’s right-hand man, but one empowered to take decisive calls on a wide range of issues pertaining to the BCCI.

He was the brains behind the ‘Big Three’ concept that triggered the change of guard in the ICC and ensured that India—who now earn a major share of world cricket revenues—took over the reins of world cricket with England and Australia for company.

A chance meeting with Lalit Modi in the months leading up to the inaugural IPL in 2008 opened the doors for Raman to get integrated into the Indian cricket fraternity. Raman, who was still the MD at Mindshare, won over his future boss with a powerpoint presentation and was roped in as the first IPL CEO, raking in a Rs 1 crore pay-cheque.

When Lalit Modi was unceremoniously deposed from the Indian cricket board, Raman weathered the storm and not only emerged out of his ex-boss’s shadow, but literally stepped into his shoes. He grew to be the IPL’s chief operating officer (COO), a role he still holds on to.

He’s said to be the real money-spinner working overtime behind the scenes to rake in the moolah for the board, and is in-charge of finalizing bilateral deals with other boards and also with sponsors, media, broadcasters.

His growing flex within the BCCI soon translated into an entry into the ICC with Srinivasan inducting him into the commercial working group that was in-charge of negotiating the new broadcasting rights for the period between 2015 and 2023, which eventually went to the Star Group.

Ironically in June, he was the BCCI’s representative in a review group that was formed to improve the ICC’s structure in terms of anti-corruption processes.

He was also the backroom mediator in the ill-fated Ravindra Jadeja-James Anderson fracas that marred the first half of the England-India Test series earlier this year.

Known to be a cricket buff from the time he was growing up in Trichy, Raman even auditioned during the first season of Harsha ki Khoj, a reality show conceived by ESPN to find the next Harsha Bhogle back in 2004.

Raman’s had the final call in terms of deciding the commentary panel for every series played in India, including the IPL. He even was responsible for firing Danny Morrison and HD Ackerman after they broke protocol that prevents them from speaking on controversial issues like the DRS and fixing scandal.

An IIM-reject, Raman earned a reputation around the country in a 12-year career as a media planner of repute.

Incidentally , in one of the rare interviews he had given back in 2008, Raman had confessed to being a Chennai Super Kings fan since he ‘came from Chennai’.