When Roger Binny, the former India all-rounder and the incumbent president of Karnataka State Cricket Association, takes over as the next president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at its AGM on October 18, history will be created in the annals of Indian cricket administration.
Never before has the BCCI seen two former players hold the post for successive terms, Binny, the 1983 World Cup hero with the most wickets in the tournament (18 wickets) succeeding former Test captain and who led India to the final of the 2003 World Cup, Sourav Ganguly.
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The cricketing world is elated at the unanimous choice of the 67-year-old Binny and hopes that Indian cricket will be in a much better position than it is already today under the new boss.
Binny’s team-mate for many years, Madan Lal told news18.com: “Like they say, nicest things happen to the nicest persons. I am sure Roger will definitely do well. All of us are very happy. At the end of the day, he has to do the job. Whatever decisions he will take, he will take them wisely. I wish him good luck. I am very happy. He is a gentleman. He has to make some tough decisions. When you are in that position, you have to give your mind. At the end of the day, it is the committee’s decision."
Also wishing Binny, who has played in 27 Tests and 72 One Day Internationals for a combined 124 wickets, luck were his team-mates from the triumphant 1983 World Cup Sandeep Patil, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Balwinder Singh Sandhu and Ravi Shastri among others.
Srikkanth said, “I’d like to congratulate him. He is a very nice and sincere person. He will do a good job. I am very happy," while Patil added: “That’s very good news. Very, very happy for Roger. There can be nothing better than a cricketer leading the parent body. He is an absolute gentleman cricketer, committed to the task. I’ve worked with him as a selector and played with him. What a great choice! Wishing him all the best."
Sandhu said: “Roger is part of the 83 family. We all are proud of him that he is going to be the president of the BCCI. It is a big responsibility and also an honour. He is a gentleman, soft-spoken. With his experience in administration, he will do a job. Being a cricketer at heart, he will always look to develop cricket and look after the cricketers."
Keeping cricket and cricketers in mind, Lal wanted the BCCI to look into the interests of the cricketers who have played only a handful of matches and hence don’t qualify for the pension scheme of the board.
“I’d like to see that past cricketers who have played a handful of first-class matches like five or 10 also be given some pension. Some money, say ₹10,000- ₹12,000 is good money for them. Some have played a few matches and got injured, prematurely ending their playing careers. These are the people who are struggling. I would like the BCCI to look after these players also," Lal said.
Sandhu wanted BCCI to come up with a museum of its own, something that had been planned by the earlier administrations but not seen the light of the day.
Sandhu said: “I can’t say anything right now as to what I want BCCI to be acting upon under Binny. Let him start and then we will discuss. One thing I’d like to see is a cricket museum. India should have a good museum. It is high time we had one. That can act as a tourist attraction. That is one area we are still lagging behind in. Something along similar lines of the Don Bradman museum in Australia should be done here also."
Former India women’s cricket captain, left-arm spinner and also a member of the Committee of Administrators that ran the game in the country for a couple of years before Ganguly became the president, Diana Edulji, hoped Indian women’s cricket would win a World Cup in Binny’s tenure.
Edulji said: “A cricketer becoming the president of BCCI is a good thing. He is a nice person. He has been the KSCA president. I would like to see women’s cricket reach the top. Men’s cricket keeps on doing well. A little more attention to women’s cricket needs to be given in order to win an ICC trophy. Our aim should be win either the T20 or the 50-over World Cup. That is the step we should take. If women’s IPL happens, it is going to be path breaking," Edulji told this website.
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Former BCCI General Manager, Administration and Game Development, Ratnakar Shetty, also welcomed Binny’s appointment as BCCI president. “Roger’s appointment as the president of the BCCI augurs well for the game because he is one person who has had experience in all roles – as a player, as a coach, as a national selector, administrator for KSCA – for many years. He will do justice to that post."
Shetty said the combination of former India team-mates Binny and Dilip Vengsarkar, who is contesting for the post of BCCI Apex Council, would work well for the sport. “If you have a combination of people who have played together, something good will come out for domestic cricket," said Shetty.
Binny’s good friend and India team-mate, Ravi Shastri, said he was delighted that Binny is going to be the new BCCI president. He said: “There is continuity there because he was president of the KSCA and moves on to become the president of the BCCI. I, for one, am extremely happy because he is a World Cup winner who goes on to become the president of the BCCI. Roger’s credentials are unquestionable. His integrity, his character as a performer for India, and being a World Cup winner, he has got all the boxes ticked to become the BCCI president."
Shastri agreed with Edulji and hoped the women’s team would soon win a World Cup. “Being a cricketer himself, Roger will ensure the interest of cricket is paramount, primarily domestic cricket. It has been given a lot of attention, but it can be given a lot more attention.
And, women’s cricket. The team that we have, we are not far away from winning the Women’s World Cup. That will trigger something special in this country. He will keep an eye on all the cricketing matters. The administration and things of that sort, I think there are enough people with experience to take forward.
Shastri wanted the facilities for the spectators at the stadiums improved. He said: “You have got to make it a spectator-friendly sport. To me, the most important thing is the facilities in the stadium should be upgraded big time. With the kind of money coming into the sport, the people who come to the ground, 60,000 and sometimes 100,000, have got to get the best facilities, watch the game and enjoy it. If that happens, you will get more and more people wanting to watch the game and the popularity of the sport will soar even further."
J Abhiram, Binny’s team-mate in Karnataka Ranji Trophy and vice-president of KSCA under Binny, said that while Binny is a thorough gentleman and a simple person, he would speak his mind and take his team with him.
“Roger being a cricketer and has a vast experience as an administrator, he has done a wonderful job at KSCA. I’m sure he will continue in the same fashion at the BCCI, taking some good decisions and taking cricket forward. Being the KSCA vice-president under Binny, it was easy to sit and talk with him. He’d discuss before taking decisions and put forward his views. He will do a good job at the BCCI."
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