http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Anthony-William-Greig-c45123 asks BCCI to work for world cricket – Cricket News Update
Tony Greig, the former http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 (BCCI) for its stubborn attitude and feels that it is not acting in the best interest of the game.
Since the last decade, India has gradually become more and more influential in world cricket and now the situation is such that the BCCI’s consent is crucial for any of the International Cricket Council (http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625) decisions to be implemented.
Over the last five years, with the inception of the Indian Premier League (IPL), India has become even more important as it generates most of the revenue for the ICC. A number of other cricket boards across the globe are also massively influenced by the BCCI.
While delivering the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture at the Lord’s, the former cricketer expressed that India must look beyond its own interests and work for the sport itself.
"Embrace the spirit of cricket and govern in the best interests of world cricket, not just for India and its business partners, accept its responsibility as leader of the cricket world," the 65-year-old said.
Since 2008, a number of high-profile players have preferred franchise cricket over representing their respective countries as the schedules of IPL or Champions League do collide with the ICC’s Future Tours Program.
Greig is of the opinion that international cricket must remain the priority of the game’s administrators. The former captain however, said that the interests of the BCCI are conflicting with the sport at the global level.
"Unfortunately," Greig said, "India is pre-occupied with money and T20 cricket and sees its IPL and Champions League as more important than a proper international calendar. To compound the problems, India has not only sold part of the game to private interests but some of her administrators are seen to have a conflict of interest, which makes it more difficult for it to act in the spirit of the game.”
There are many other former cricketers who also believe that ICC must take remedial measures to save international cricket, as it is being hijacked by the BCCI at the present moment.
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