Recapping Sourav Ganguly’s efficiency as BCCI president: Hit or Miss?

By Akshay Ramesh: Sourav Ganguly is among the most-loved cricketers in India. The ‘Prince of Calcutta’ remodeled the way in which India performed their cricket, particularly after taking up the reins of the crew following the match-fixing scandal that rocked the game in 2000. Heads rolled and India have been searching for a captain and so they obtained a pacesetter of males in Ganguly.

If Virat Kohli launched in-your-face aggression to the fashionable technology of cricket followers, Sourav Ganguly was its pioneer. Ganguly is revered by his former teammates. As a participant and captain, he overcame a number of hurdles and stored proving naysayers flawed.

When he was unanimously elected because the BCCI president, albeit after loads of late drama, the appointment was largely celebrated. There was a way of pleasure to see how one of many best cricket captains would lead the administration of the richest cricket physique on the planet.

Ganguly was no stranger to administration when he took over because the chief of the BCCI. He was on the helm of Cricket Association of Bengal between 2015 and 2019. Yet, the BCCI’s prime job and the challenges that got here with it have been anticipated to check Ganguly.

A person of no-nonsense was anticipated to deal with administration like he dealt with these deliveries outdoors his off-stump, however did Ganguly hit it over the park throughout his 3-year tenure?

CORONATION AT EDEN

Ganguly started his tenure as BCCI president with a silky cowl drive — he pioneered India’s first pink-ball Test, convincing the then-captain Virat Kohli and the crew administration to play a day-night Test on the iconic Eden Gardens in opposition to a visiting Bangladesh crew in November 2019.

It was a coronation of types for Ganguly as he took centre stage, placing on a present for the historic pink-ball Test. His former teammates and members of the Fab 4, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid, have been invited to the Test together with prime politicians. The Test was over inside 3 days with India wrapping up a one-sided victory but it surely was Ganguly’s showmanship that highlighted the memorable affair.

Ganguly prioritising the pink-ball Test was seen as an enormous increase to the oldest format of the sport because the earlier regimes of the BCCI have been seemingly in opposition to too many experiments. The board chief was fortunate sufficient to have a captain in Virat Kohli who was additionally a agency believer and admirer of the longest format.

Ganguly additionally put behind the bitter previous he had with then-head coach Ravi Shastri and made certain the previous World Cup winner continued to seamlessly go about his work with the senior nationwide crew. With Shastri overseeing affairs, India received their 2nd successive Test collection in Australia in 2020-21 and produced one of many biggest outcomes on the Gabba regardless of not having an array of massive names, together with Virat Kohli.

Ganguly additionally struck working relationship with BCCI secretary and son of Union Home Minister, Jay Shah proper from the early days of their tenure on the BCCI prime brass.

THE COVID SETBACK

Ganguly would have had loads of plans when it got here to shaping his legacy as a cricket administrator however the Covid-19 pandemic proved to be an enormous setback.

For the primary time in its historical past, Indian cricket’s largest money cow, the Indian Premier League, needed to be postponed because of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Bilateral collection have been postponed or canceled at the same time as your entire world got here to a standstill with main sporting occasions additionally among the many victims of the virus that unfold at an unprecedented tempo.

However, the BCCI prime brass didn’t hand over. Ganguly and Shah made certain they discovered a window for the IPL even because the T20 World Cup, which was set to be held in October-November was postponed. The IPL was moved out of India and held within the UAE with strict security measures, which received the reward of the world.

2021 was not simple both. The BCCI determined to deliver again the IPL house however mid-way in the course of the season, the Covid-19 circumstances had seeped into the bio-bubbles of franchises. It was alleged the bio-bubble association was not as fool-proof because the one within the UAE in 2020 and gamers and help employees needed to undergo a panic scenario.

For the primary time within the historical past of the match, the IPL was suspended halfway with way forward for the season changing into unsure.

GANGULY-SHAH OVERCOME HURDLES

However, the BCCI prime brass obtained its approach as soon as once more as the rest of the match was held within the UAE. The timing of the match was spot on as gamers used the IPL to heat as much as the T20 World Cup, which was moved out of India and held within the UAE. Both the match went forward with none main hindrances mid the pandemic.

However, the BCCI couldn’t host the Ranji Trophy in 2021 because the premier home red-ball match was canceled for the primary time in 87 years because of the pandemic. Questions have been requested about BCCI’s lack of ability to host the Ranji Trophy, which pays the utmost charge for gamers within the nation at the same time as they have been eager on internet hosting the IPL. However, not internet hosting the Ranji Trophy was seen as a realistic name because of the difficulties in organising bio-bubble environments for as many groups within the match.

And as anticipated, as soon as the Covid-19 scenario was below management, BCCI made certain IPL returned house, albeit performed in 5 venues throughout Mumbai and Pune. The BCCI prime brass was lauded for successfully getting the job finished.

Ganguly suffered well being setbacks within the lead-up to the IPL 2022 season however the BCCI boss made certain he obtained the job finished as India efficiently hosted the cash-rich league. It was heartening to see Ganguly springing again to work after a short break to care for his well being.

THE MEDIA RIGHTS BUMPER

It was below Ganguly and Shah’s tenure that the BCCI made Rs 48,390 crore – a 3-time increment within the sale of media rights of IPL, which firmly established itself as the most important property within the sport. The BCCI grouped the media rights strategically to ensure the IPL obtained its due and it was staggering to see how the broadcasters have been keen to push the bounds to safe the rights.

DRAVID, LAXMAN APPOINTMENTS

It was Ganguly who additionally performed a pivotal position in getting Rahul Dravid on board as Ravi Shastri’s successor as head coach of the senior males’s crew. Dravid, who was reportedly reluctant to undergo the pains of the position after having spent the previous few years as NCA chief and India U-19 coach, was satisfied by the BCCI prime brass and Ganguly is claimed to have gone the additional mile to persuade his former teammate and good buddy.

Another legendary Indian cricketer, VVS Laxman, took over the vacant National Cricket Academy chief position after being pursued by Ganguly, in line with the grapevine. Laxman changed Dravid because the NCA boss and has additionally been touring with the senior males’s crew as coach when Dravid is busy with different engagements.

Even although the Sourav Ganguly-led administration was criticised for not paying sufficient significance to girls’s cricket, particularly after they went via a substantial interval with out aggressive motion after reaching the ultimate of the T20 World Cup in 2020, worldwide excursions have been organized for the Women in Blue.

Ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup for girls in 2023, Harmanpreet Kaur and her aspect are having a busy schedule. Reaching the ultimate of the Commonwealth Games and profitable the Asia Cup are among the excessive factors of the ladies’s crew below the Ganguly-Shah regime.

The blueprint for the Women’s IPL, which is about to develop into a actuality in 2023, was additionally labored out by the BCCI prime brass, headed by Ganguly.

The BCCI additionally hiked the month-to-month pension of cricketers by practically 50 % earlier in 2022.

However, Ganguly’s tenure was not all rosy. Despite the Supreme Court giving the go-ahead for Ganguly and Shah to proceed for one more time period, the previous India captain misplaced the battle. A number of BCCI insiders have claimed that Ganguly was not provided presidential put up once more as there was no precedent for presidents to proceed for a couple of time period. However, BCCI secretary Jay Shah is about for one more time period.

There have been allegations of non-performance by Ganguly by some factions of the BCCI, however treasurer Arun Dhumal rubbished the rumours, saying the BCCI representatives have been pleased with Ganguly and the way he labored as a crew.

However, as they are saying, there isn’t any hearth with out smoke.

VIRAT KOHLI SAGA

Under Ganguly, BCCI was anticipated to develop into a extra clear physique when it comes to communication with gamers and the general public.

However, the dealing with of Virat Kohli’s captaincy scenario did not present the board in the precise gentle with the most important famous person in world cricket accusing the board of a scarcity of communication.

Ganguly’s feedback to the media that he had spoken to Kohli about not stepping down from the position of T20I captain was publicly denied by Kohli. BCCI needed to do harm management with the chief selector of the lads’s cricket crew, Chetan Sharma, shifting the blame to Kohli.

The method through which Kohli was stripped as ODI captain — a footnote on the finish of a press launch for a crew choice — didn’t go down nicely with the star batter. Kohli give up as Test captain a number of months after the chaotic flip of occasions.

SAHA CONTROVERSY

Ganguly’s position in Wriddhiman Saha feeling wronged about his omission from the Test crew earlier in 2022 additionally left a foul style. Saha alleged that Ganguly had promised him that he could be a part of the Test crew however the selectors didn’t think about him for the tour of South Africa.

POLITICS AND ENDORSEMENTS?

Speculation can also be rife that Ganguly endorsing rival manufacturers of the BCCI’s title and different sponsors didn’t go down nicely with a number of members of the board’s prime brass. Conflict of Interest problem was additionally raised in opposition to Ganguly and it was awkward to see a board president endorsing fantasy apps.

Questions have been additionally requested a few delay in fee of dues for the home cricketers though pandemic hit their livelihood laborious.

The Trinamool Congress Party additionally kicked up a political storm by accusing the ruling social gathering on the Centre – the Bharatiya Janata Party of exhibiting the door to Ganguly for not campaigning for it in the course of the Bengal elections. We could by no means come to know whether or not the political recreation performed a task in Ganguly’s ouster though the previous India captain has portrayed good relations with the Shahs.

Ganguly stated at a latest occasion in Kolkata that he would go on to do “bigger things” and that he was prepared to maneuver on from his tenure as administrator.

One cannot rule out Ganguly returning to the highest brass of the Indian cricket administration however, for the time being, it looks as if the previous captain has to play on the again foot.