There must be less talk and more work

Under pressure to resolve the crisis triggered by Justice R M Lodha committee's verdict on the IPL betting scandal, the Board of Control for Cricket in India yesterday decided to constitute a working group to study the order and give recommendations within six weeks.

The decision to form the group was taken at the IPL Governing Council meeting where members discussed the implications of the verdict, suspending Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from the IPL for two years.

Reports state that the Board will reveal the names of the working group members today.

While it is creditable that this working group will be given a deadline to deliver, they will be working within a timeframe to come up with a solution, it is also equally important that something concrete comes up with reference to this working group.

It is of little use having commissions, committees and working groups if nothing fructifies from all these investigative groups formed by the Board, through so many years.

What the cricketing public needs is less talk and more work. They are weary of the continued scandals and corruption, they need solid answers and most of all black or white solutions to the crisis this league seems to be mired in. Ever since the first match fixing and betting scandal broke so many years ago, there have been a slew of commissions, committees and groups being formed, but things remain as murky as ever. Some names are dropped, then, reports crop up promising sensational revelations of big fish, but somehow these names remain forever hidden. Spectators never know what is the end or the result of these inquiries and whether the true offender has been punished. Most importantly, they simply do not know if the game has been purged of all the diabolical doings that seem to have thrown a long shadow over it.

The working group must include former BCCI president Shashank Manohar. His observations though pungent, may be what we need, a harsh dose of truth, backed up by action. The cloak ‘n' daggers game is over. Time to face it, fair and square gentlemen.