How Kumble’s appointment as coach ruined set up of India players association

The Supreme Court of India is about to give its order on justice Rajendra Mal Lodha committee’s recommendations. There is a little chance of modification.

A bench of Justice headed by  CJI Trirath Singh Thakur and Justice  Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla will decide the future of BCCI.

The BCCI is unlikely to implement the Lodha Committee recommendations but the Apex Court’s order may force them to proceed with the changes, if any. However, one of the most interesting recommendations was players association which will give BCCI plenty of discomfort.

Earlier, CJI Lodha and his colleagues named Anil Kumble as one of their four members of the “steering committee” which would help set up the players’ association.

But as the legendary spinner has been appointed as Indian coach that plan has gone for the toss.

Back then Kumble was invited to appear in the court before the Justice Lodha Committee. Kumble was a President of Karnataka Cricket Association.

But he is now Indian coach, so everything has changed.

Now unless CJI Thakur and Justice Kalifulla modify at least one part of the recommendations, both Kumble, and the Board will really be at their wits end.

The former Indian cricketer now has to focus on his newest assignment, not put together a players’ association eight years after his retirement.

Possibly the Indian board will have a reservation on Kumble on doing some other things other than coaching.

It seems that the Indian board may oppose the players’ association. But players association is not unusual and opposed by  the governing body of cricket in other countries.

“One can’t predict what the two-member special bench plans to do. We have no choice but to wait for the Supreme Court’s order on the recommendations in totality,” somebody very senior in the Board told The Telegraph on Saturday.

The Supreme Court has reason to keep the trust on Kumble because 15 years ago he had been representing the  Indian players in negotiations with the Board.  The “Steering Committee” was also comprised former Union Government Secretary G.K Pillay, former World Cup-winning captain Mohinder Amarnath and Diana Edujee.

They committee even pushed towards a structured players’ association.

The then BCCI president A.C Muthiah wasn’t reluctant towards the association. But in 2001 when Jagmohan Dalmiya came at the helm  held an entirely different view.

Muthiah even invited Kumble to make what turned out to be a 35-minute presentation before a finance committee meeting of the Board.

Kumble and other Indian players pressed for financial security for the association. In 2004-05 BCCI was about to give financial support but it was never agreed to the full-fledged players association.

However, Kumble is still making a presentation. His latest presentation has bagged him a BCCI head coach job on June 21.