Not joining saffron brigade leaves Dada’s biz unfinished

When Sourav Ganguly became BCCI (The Board of Control for Cricket in India) President in 2019, it was hailed as the return of ‘ache din’ in Indian cricket administration, with a former captain heading the board for the first time in more than six decades. Before we talk about his exit that triggered political blame games, let’s see things from an administrative point of view.

It could well be documented as a lost opportunity for Dada (as he is affectionately known in Indian cricket.) Ganguly kicked off his tenure with a trademark cover drive on the off at the iconic Eden Gardens, by holding the first-ever Pink ball Test between India and Bangladesh. The former administrators were not too courageous in experimenting with the idea of reviving Test cricket’s popularity. Even though the Test ended in three days, he was hailed for his leadership skills.

But then came a series of inactions...in his early days, he pitched for fatter pay cheques for domestic players and promised contracts to first-class cricketers. In reality, the contracts are yet to be signed. Another instance when he was embarrassed was when the Indian women’s team finished runner-up in the 2020 T20 World Cup in Australia and players had to wait for more than a year for half of their prize money, about US$500,000.

According to reports, the BCCI received the amount from the ICC around a week after the final. Ganguly would be regretting his biggest letdown during his tenure--the public spat between former captain Virat Kohli and him and the mud-slinging match that followed, with both terming the other as liars. Wriddhiman Saha’s unceremonious exit from the Test team left another scar because of Ganguly’s noncommittal attitude towards the wicketkeeper.

Lastly, his choice of endorsements of brands, considered rivals of the board’s main sponsors, didn’t go down well with others. Now, let’s talk about the politics behind Dada’s exit from the post. Ganguly, who unfortunately became a toy in the political mud-slinging, recently said that ‘all have to face rejections’ eventually.

There is a special bond between West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Dada. Before the WB assembly polls in 2021, when the BJP had made proclamations about giving a fight to the TMC, his name had emerged as a key campaigner of the party. He always keeps his cards close to his chest and therefore didn’t plunge into politics in the end.

The BJP tried hard to get him into the party but those who know him as a cricketer, will agree that he would not join a party that thrives on hate politics. That he was not allowed to continue in his post, clearly shows a BJP hand. He paid the price for saying no to the BJP. How could one justify keeping Amit Shah’s son, Jay Shah, BCCI secretary, and dumping Ganguly who represented and transformed Indian cricket as a captain?

He would have completed his unfinished business if another term had been given to him. At least until the 50-over World Cup in 2023, held in India. After the Supreme Court changed its order and amended the cooling-off clause in the BCCI constitution, both Ganguly and BCCI secretary Jay Shah were entitled to an extension.

One is unable to fathom how Jay Shah, not exactly known for his cricketing prowess, is continuing and Sourav with unmatched stature and personality had to leave the board. Everyone should leave a post one day, but the problem is that the home minister’s son is able to continue and survive merely on the basis of his surname. On the other hand, a former captain is being humiliated for not joining a party maybe because he does not agree with its politics. This precedent is not good for the game, certainly not for the ‘richest board among cricketing nations.’