SHARP CRITICISM

CoA pulls up BCCI for Day-Night Test plan

by Gaurav Gupta • Last updated on

"I'm a bit amazed at the way we seem to be taking policy decisions" - Vinod Rai © Getty

The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators head Vinod Rai has pulled up Board of Control for Cricket in India's acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary for initiating a move to schedule India's maiden day-night Test against the West Indies in October without consulting his panel and the other office-bearers of the Board.

A series of e-mails in possession of TOI show that Choudhary, citing low attendances during India's Tests at home last season, had asked Team India coach Ravi Shastri for his opinion about scheduling a Day-Night Test against the West Indies, which would start at 12.30pm. Shastri, in his reply, had agreed for the match "to be tried out as an experiment with a game starting at 12." However, Shastri has concluded his response by saying that "to get in the crowds, it doesn't matter if it's a day game or Day-Night game. What's important is (the match is scheduled in) a 'tier 2' city."

Subsequently, in a mail addressed to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri, acting president CK Khanna and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary, wicketkeeper Saba Karim and operations manager Gaurav Saxena, Choudhary says: "Below is the exchange-of-emails with Shastri. This had followed a day after my telephonic conversation with him. Yesterday, I had occasion to discuss the same in detail with the national selectors, CEO and GM, Cricket Operations and all seem to be in sync provided the advice of only the last session being played under lights is ensured."

He then concludes by saying: "Under the circumstances, we will go ahead with the proposal choosing one of the two Windies Tests for the first ever day-night game on Indian soil requesting the Tour, Program, Fixtures Committee for the needful."

However, Choudhary's move was swiftly cut short by Rai. In a stinging e-mail to the acting secretary on Wednesday, the COA chief began by saying: "I'm a bit amazed at the way we seem to be taking policy decisions. Please confirm firstly, that Day-Night Tests have never been played before. Secondly, you seem to have discussed with all the stakeholders, who in your scheme of things constitute four persons sitting in the (BCCI) cricket centre - A very misplaced viewpoint," before rebuking the acting secretary for not consulting his committee on the issue, which he has asked to be put on hold for now.

"Thirdly, even if it be cricket of which all of you certainly have greater knowledge than me, (I'm excluding Diana Edulji, former India women's team skipper), who has greater knowledge than all of you! I represent the viewing population. They are your greatest stakeholders. Don't you think you need to factor them in? This issue is placed on hold. It does not go out of cricket centre," Rai has stressed.

He then lays down a system which must be followed before India can stage its maiden day-night Test:

"1) We work out a whole process with venue thrown in - exact timings, including security arrangements over five days in the same venue and the cost of the same to BCCI and the state association. 2. We then consult the guest team. We need to factor in their viewpoints. 3. Ravi may have been consulted but I would like to consult the players whose body clock over five consecutive days will have to get accustomed to a new timing. 4. Also factor in the administrative set up who will be doing the regimen for five days - late nights and all."

© TNN

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