CoA meet: BCCI polls to go ahead as per schedule

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Even as major state cricket associations like Mumbai (MCA) are yet to fully comply with the new BCCI constitution, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) is set to go ahead with its October 22 deadline to conduct polls. Yesterday, the CoA took stock of things along with electoral officer N Gopalaswami and have decided to stick with the deadline mentioned in its earlier timeline.

"A code has been drawn out. They [state associations] are all coming on board. There will be minor delays [in the process of full compliance], but there is ample time. We just did a review and most of them will join. I don't see such great difficulty in getting it done. Some of them are yet to register their constitutions. Figures keep changing on a daily basis. Around 24 to 25 state associations have fully complied. The intention is to hold the elections around the date which is given [October 22]," CoA member Ravindra Thodge said after the meeting yesterday. Electoral officers for the states were also finalised as per criteria laid down by the CoA in its July 25 directive. The state elections must be completed by September 14.

CAU to be affiliated

The CoA also took the decision to grant affiliation to Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU), thus ending the arrangement of a consensus between four associations staking a claim to manage the cricketing affairs of the state last season.

Meanwhile, the selection of Team India's head coach and support staff members will begin on August 16. The CAC (Cricket Advisory Committee), headed by Kapil Dev will pick the head coach, while the national selectors have been empowered to select the batting, bowling and fielding coach.

'No pressure on anyone'

"I won't get into the names since there is a lot of speculation. There is no pressure on anybody [on coach selection]. The CAC is an independent body that will select the coach and the rest will be picked by the selectors," said Thodge.

"Rahul Johri [BCCI CEO] won't be involved in the selection process of support staff members," a CoA member told mid-day. As reported by mid-day yesterday, the BCCI top brass along with NCA head of cricket Rahul Dravid attended a lecture on ethics and governance by Dr Simon Longstaff, who conducted an independent review in Australia's ball-tampering episode. Those who attended the lecture said the emphasis was on understanding the culture of the team based on their 'win at all cost' attitude.

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