Innings over for CLT20

BCCI, virtually deciding to scrap Champions League T20, had earlier informed Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa that broadcaster Star wants an exit plan


All the hullabaloo over the Champions League Twenty20 is now settled. As reported by this paper on April 15, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) virtually decided to scrap the tournament, considered the richest in the game.
At the working committee meeting in Kolkata on Sunday, the BCCI has decided to call a meeting of the Champions Gove-rning Council and put a stamp on the decision. Both Cricket Australia and Cricket South Africa have informally been already informed that the broadcaster, Star Sports, is finding it difficult to continue its association with the tournament and all three boards are waiting to hear from Star about its exit offer.
“The meeting will be taken sooner than later,” said CSA president Chris Nenzani. “The discussions have been going on and we will take a final call sooner than later,” the South Africa official said. It is understood that Star, which is believed to be losing $100 million a year, will be asked to pay a hefty exit amount to the three boards.
Meanwhile, the working committee witnessed intense debate between Shashank Manohar and PS Raman, the representative of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association over valuation of the Chennai Super Kings franchise. Manohar insisted that franchise was undervalued but Raman argued that in the absence of sale, the value was right arrived at Rs 5 lakh.
Consensus on the issue eluded the working committee which finally decided to refer it to legal expert. That means it is status quo and the transfer of CSK shares and ownership has been put on hold.
The working committee has decided constitute a cricket advisory committee comprising prominent cricketers. The BCCI release has not mentioned names but reports said Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid will be part of the Committee. The names of Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev are also being mentioned.
These cricketers, according to sources, will provide inputs to BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and secretary Anurag Thakur, who entrusted with the job of finding the new coach.
“The process to identify the coach and support staff for the senior national team will be undertaken by the president and the secretary,” the BCCI release said. However, it is almost certain that assistant coach Sanjay Bangar bowling coach Bharat Arun and fielding R Sridhar will be retained.
The main point of debate is whether to continue with Ravi Shastri as the team director or not and whether to have a foreigner as a replacement for Duncan Fletcher, whose contract with the Indian team ended with the World Cup.


DADA WON’T COACH
A Working Committee member, apparently, made it clear that Ganguly will not be in the running for the coveted job even as speculation is rife that the former Indian cricketer is the top contender for the job. “Since Sourav will be in the committee, he at least technically does not qualify for the job,” a BCCI official told a news agency.
The Working Committee has decided to recommend Rohit Sharma’s name for the Arjuna Award.